Basic writing (BW) programs and teachers are often victims of the various political systems of academia. Administrators seldom devote energy or funds to BW programs and expend little effort to secure qualified faculty for them. BW courses are most frequently taught by part-time faculty, largely in unsupervised situations and without a common syllabus or text. Qualified faculty interested in BW are often denied tenure or are restricted in ranks. The academic community is not ready to confront the reality that BW is a bonafide specialization: tenure and promotion committees refuse to recognize work done in the field, BW classes are assigned the worst facilities, and the administration often intrudes into the scheduling and curricula of BW programs. BW teachers can do six things to fight back: (1) refuse to hire incompetent teachers just to staff sections; (2) refuse to accept second-class status among the ranks of academia; (3) become involved in decision-making committees; (4) ask for the material and personnel that are needed through the proper channels, with proper supportive data, at the proper time; (5) continue to work within their professional organizations; and (6) legitimize BW as an academic specialization by engaging in scholarly and professional activities. (JL)