Right to decide?

[Paul Mather]

On Wed, Nov 19, 2003 at 12:13:08PM +0000, M Holmes wrote:

=> I have something of a politically incorrect interest in political
=> correctness in education.  In the US, the lunatics have taken over the
=> asylum and they're charging fees to share the experience (attr: some
=> peever wag).  Some campuses have set up "free speech zones" which amount
=> to a bandstand where you can say what you like.  Elsewhere on campus, if
=> you say anything that offends anyone (particularly anyone on the left on
=> anything to do with gay black disabled cognitively challenged folks)
=> you'll be hauled up before a reeducation committee before you can say
=> First Amendment. Classes in "Herstory" have been scheduled where
=> "conservative-thinking" students have been advised not to apply. Staff
=> who've supported Israel have been disciplined because they offended
=> Palestinian-supporting students. Conservative student clubs have been
=> either banned, had their magazines burned on campus, or have been
=> prevented from inviting speakers. What Mr. O'Rourke called "the
=> Perpetually Indignant" are now making an academic career out of finding
=> things to be offended about and having the offender hauled over the
=> coals on pain of being expelled for refusal. It's got so bad that
=> Congressional Bills are now being threatened to bring about "diversity"
=> in education by selective appointment of conservative academics.

You know Mike, you might actually try *being* on a US university
campus rather than getting your facts vicariously through various
chaps like O'Rourke who strike me as being more about making a living
selling books and promoting themselves than presenting unbiased fact.

Your world-view of US campuses bears no relation to my direct ongoing
experience, nor of anyone I know at other campuses (both as faculty or
student).  And I'm at a university that has acknowledged "campus
diversity issues" and occasional "diversity forums!"

So, either someone is generalising marginal cases to the whole damn
system, or there is a carefully orchestrated cover-up being erected
around me and everyone I know to shield us from this rampant political
re-education programme.

Now if you want to talk about loony, why not have a butchers at "No
Child Left Behind," where children are mandated not to be sick because
perfect attendance is required to be in compliance... :-\

Cheers,

Paul.

PS: Actually, here at VT it's been the lefties so far who've been
stopped from speaking by the administration.  We had some "Earth
First!"  speakers at one time refused to speak on campus as invited
speakers by a club, and it was stated that henceforth all speakers
would have to be cleared by the university before being allowed to
speak.  The reason given was it allegedly violated some "promotion of
terrorism" aspect of some gubbins like the Patriot Act (or similar
heavy-handed right-wing legislation currently under effect).  After a
brouhaha (including faculty mass silent protests), the Powers That Be
eventually backed down and removed the vetting requirement.

But it's only conservatives who are being singled out, right?

e-mail: paul at gromit.dlib.vt.edu

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