Fox News host Pete Hegseth has decided to put his Masters of Public Policy diploma from Harvard University in an envelope marked "return to sender."  In his new book American Crusade, the highly decorated Iraq and Afghanistan veteran tells his alma mater, "Thank you for the 'education,' but I can no longer support your leftist cause" and encourages others to do the same.

He's not the only one suffering from what I call "educational remorse."  Some time ago, cartoonist Scott Adams of "Dilbert" fame blogged that he would stop donating to UC-Berkeley.

At the time, Mr. Adams stated, "I'm ending my support of UC Berkeley, where I got my MBA years ago.  I have been a big supporter lately, with both my time and money, but that ends today.  I wish them well, but I wouldn't feel safe or welcome on the campus.  A Berkeley professor made that clear to me recently.  He seems smart, so I'll take his word for it."

It's clear from recent history that conservative voices aren't welcome at today's universities, where they get in the way of student indoctrination by professors.  Instances abound in which speakers from the center and right are the targets of protests and shouted down before they can even begin to discuss the issues of the day.  And that's if they get to the podium at all; it's just as likely that they'll be disinvited the day after they accept the invitation.

Given that there is such a lack of free discourse in today's educational system, it makes you wonder why moderates and conservatives still donate to their colleges.  Is it to remember and honor the good old days?  Is it some kind of guilt?  Is it just a reflex after so many years of funding without demanding to know where the money goes?

Today's universities spend alumni and taxpayer money to fund a variety of courses that explicitly push leftist ideology without offering any counterbalancing curriculum.  Let's take a look at some courses offered at the University of Chicago:

• "Marxism, Anarchism, and the Black Radical Tradition"
• "Trans-bodies in Horror Cinema"
• "The Problem of Whiteness"
• "Transnational Queer Politics and Practices"
• "Witchcraft and the Cultural Imagination"

You can even minor in "Inequality, Social Problems, And Change."  "Hands-on experience" is offered in "addressing inequality on the ground level."  In other words, we will teach you to riot and give you college credit for it.

Why should you support institutions that make it their business to foment hatred toward you and institutions you  value and respect?  Make no mistake: today's colleges not only are hotbeds of leftist ideology, but actively try to silence anyone who thinks as you do.  Indeed, your very existence makes the entire population of snowflakes, professors and students alike, tremble with fear and rage.

Today's places of higher learning teach conformity to liberal ideals in the most aggressive way possible.  There is a right way to think and a wrong way to think.  A right way to speak and a wrong way to speak.  A right way to dress for Halloween and a wrong way.  A right hat to wear and a wrong hat (hint: the wrong hat is red and says "Make America Great Again" on it).

There are all sorts of punishments that students may incur for picking the wrong way.  They could be socially ostracized, grades might suffer, applications to grad school might make their way to the circular file, and worse.

Is this the atmosphere you want to subsidize?  An atmosphere where alumni like you are considered a danger to (not-so) polite society?

Charitable donations are laudable, but sending money to places that are antithetical to your views is ridiculous.  Conservative dollars going to a very liberal university means supporting the status quo, and the status quo, apparently, wants you dead.

So, kindhearted and altruistic moderates and conservatives, it's time to stop donating to liberal brainwashing factories and use your hard-earned money to feed starving children, help disabled veterans, or support the Police Benevolent Association.  You'll be doing society a favor and feel better about giving to organizations that are less overtly political than your dear old alma mater.

Pete Hegseth is sending his diploma back to Harvard, but you can keep yours.  You worked hard for it, and who knows if someone will want to see it one day?  I need mine to prove I'm an actual medical doctor (or do I? it's been that long since someone wanted to see a copy of it — well, better safe than sorry).

Political donations are one thing.  You have an idea of what kind of bang you're getting for your buck.  Donating to leftist universities is something else altogether.  You're mixing charity with the worst kind of politics, and that's a bad idea.

Joe Alton, M.D. is a physician, medical preparedness advocate, and N.Y. Times/Amazon bestselling author of The Survival Medicine Handbook: The Essential Guide For When Help Is NOT on the Way and other books.

Image: Tim Dennell.