thefire.org— More than 73% of public universities surveyed maintain unconstitutional speech codes, despite numerous federal court decisions striking down similar or identical policies
Dec 7, 2006View in Crawl 4
The only reason liberal and Muslim are usually mentioned in the same breath is that both groups are associated with the "Hate America" crowd and want the US replaced with their own ideas of paradise.Most of Universities in the US are run by socialist and other extreme leftist radicals so it's natural that they only want to hear and allow anti-American speech. Damn the constitution. They will correct that every chance they get.
yeap i read it.....Texas A&M students were asked to stop hanging flags outside their dorm windows last week, though the nation's banner is increasingly appearing on automobiles, storefronts and residences nationwide.The University did not issue similar rulings before when it was flags for the football team, Fraternities or Sororities....only when American Flags started to appear....
We can't pick and choose on the topic of free speech. Free speech means just what it says. You do not have to take someone elses opinion to heart when hearing it. Hell, you don't even have to stick around and listen. There are enough laws in place to take care of "free speakers" getting out of hand. And, radical views and those that get violent to make their point usually take care of themselves, either by alienating the masses, or by getting themselves arrested, etc. When you start taking away constitutional rights in order for you to make it easier for the system to deal with them, you have just destroyed the rights of ALL the citizens. Not smart, and not legal. If Americans don't recognize how dangerous these new laws are (patriot act, etc) to our freedom, we are doomed as a free Country. Do you know how many federal wire taps were denied warrants prior to the new wire tapping laws signed in by Bush? ONE. IN ALL THESE YEARS, ONE! But then, what can you expect from a leader who says the Constitution is "just a goddamn piece of paper"?
It's funny to see all of the comments claiming that universities in the US only allow "leftist" or "liberal" free speech. I don't know what schools you went to, but that was never the case for me. I got my undergrad degree from a university in a very conservative part of the South, and lots of different viewpoints were allowed on campus, including wacky preachers handing out Chick tracts and calling us "whoremongers." We were also allowed to attend these events and shout back our own opinions. No one tried to shut these events down.I got my graduate degree from a university in a very liberal part of the North. Lots of viewpoints were allowed, including a yearly huge display in the quad that basically equates abortion with the Holocaust, including giant posters and fliers all over campus. Personally, I found it rather insulting to Holocaust survivors, but the university seemed to have no problem with it.
While I don't doubt that happens, can this guy really prove that his lower grade was because of his political opinion?I taught introductory writing classes for a year as part of my assistantship, and I was careful to grade people on how well they could argue their ideas, not the content of their ideas. Yet, there were still people who felt like the world owed them a good grade because they were right and shouldn't have to explain their positions well or convince their readers.
I didn't say you were a bad cop - I said you had a bad attitude for a cop. I don't like the idea of someone who looks down on everyone, admits he is arrogant and has no diplomacy skills, being in a position of enforcing justice.
Since this article didn't mention any specific instances of censorship, I'm going to assume that this article has no validity. Not to say that there is no censorship, but this is just empty rhetoric.
I have to say that I'm often amused by the crazy, left-wing, libbie socialists in academia articles/comments. My gf and I are enrolled in a grad program in a private, and very liberal (in terms of student body), university. I can safely say I've seen no evidence of left-wing bias in my three years of attendance. In fact:1. The student newspaper usually runs conservative editorials and letters. These editorials, btw, have almost always been persuasive, well written, and cohesive. Furthermore, student letters to the editors often chide editorialists who descend into the realm of "stupid libs/ conservatives" prose.2. Judging by the flyers posted throughout campus, and the talks I've attended, liberal and conservative student groups have equal representation and funding. During the 2004 election, the campus republicans and democrats had a tremendous presence ( I'll never forget the day a guy dressed up as a flip-flop handed me a pro-Bush flyer).3. In every class I have observed, the opinions of conservative students were listened to and debated with respect and maturity. As for faculty, I would say they go out of their way to accommodate students. My gf, for instance, began teaching last semester. She's a liberal through and through, and she goes to great lengths to make sure her opinions do not impact the content of her class or her feelings about her student. Just last semester she had a conservative students whose opinions she found, her words, "repellent", but he still got an A- minus in her writing class because he was a good writer. Indeed, in pedagogy classes, conferences, and in the hallowed pages of the Chron. of Higher Ed., profs. try to find ways to engage students across the political spectrum. That is the purpose of college- to make kids responsible, articulate citizens. Are there profs and administrators who are nothing more than bloviating ideologues? Certainly. However, you will find misguided ideologues in all walks of life and in all professions. That being said (sorry for bloviating there), what, precisely, is the objection to some speech codes when the speech being banned or discouraged is disruptive to the larger academic project? Specifically, can't one see how walking around calling people, say, spics or gentlemen (i.e. "disrespect of persons") makes it impossible to have meaningful or fruitful debates? At worst it teaches bigots that to function in the professional world they have to keep their bigotry to themselves. Lastly, I know the examples I cite are anecdotal, and I'm interested in hearing from anyone who experienced some kind of bias or needlessly punitive speech codes.
rebradDec 8, 2006
The only reason liberal and Muslim are usually mentioned in the same breath is that both groups are associated with the "Hate America" crowd and want the US replaced with their own ideas of paradise.Most of Universities in the US are run by socialist and other extreme leftist radicals so it's natural that they only want to hear and allow anti-American speech. Damn the constitution. They will correct that every chance they get.
repinsDec 8, 2006
yeap i read it.....Texas A&M students were asked to stop hanging flags outside their dorm windows last week, though the nation's banner is increasingly appearing on automobiles, storefronts and residences nationwide.The University did not issue similar rulings before when it was flags for the football team, Fraternities or Sororities....only when American Flags started to appear....
faskippyDec 8, 2006
We can't pick and choose on the topic of free speech. Free speech means just what it says. You do not have to take someone elses opinion to heart when hearing it. Hell, you don't even have to stick around and listen. There are enough laws in place to take care of "free speakers" getting out of hand. And, radical views and those that get violent to make their point usually take care of themselves, either by alienating the masses, or by getting themselves arrested, etc. When you start taking away constitutional rights in order for you to make it easier for the system to deal with them, you have just destroyed the rights of ALL the citizens. Not smart, and not legal. If Americans don't recognize how dangerous these new laws are (patriot act, etc) to our freedom, we are doomed as a free Country. Do you know how many federal wire taps were denied warrants prior to the new wire tapping laws signed in by Bush? ONE. IN ALL THESE YEARS, ONE! But then, what can you expect from a leader who says the Constitution is "just a goddamn piece of paper"?
diggsonlyneoconDec 8, 2006
What school?
unknownunknownsDec 8, 2006
It's funny to see all of the comments claiming that universities in the US only allow "leftist" or "liberal" free speech. I don't know what schools you went to, but that was never the case for me. I got my undergrad degree from a university in a very conservative part of the South, and lots of different viewpoints were allowed on campus, including wacky preachers handing out Chick tracts and calling us "whoremongers." We were also allowed to attend these events and shout back our own opinions. No one tried to shut these events down.I got my graduate degree from a university in a very liberal part of the North. Lots of viewpoints were allowed, including a yearly huge display in the quad that basically equates abortion with the Holocaust, including giant posters and fliers all over campus. Personally, I found it rather insulting to Holocaust survivors, but the university seemed to have no problem with it.
unknownunknownsDec 8, 2006
While I don't doubt that happens, can this guy really prove that his lower grade was because of his political opinion?I taught introductory writing classes for a year as part of my assistantship, and I was careful to grade people on how well they could argue their ideas, not the content of their ideas. Yet, there were still people who felt like the world owed them a good grade because they were right and shouldn't have to explain their positions well or convince their readers.
felchdonkeyDec 8, 2006
I didn't say you were a bad cop - I said you had a bad attitude for a cop. I don't like the idea of someone who looks down on everyone, admits he is arrogant and has no diplomacy skills, being in a position of enforcing justice.
alphagregDec 8, 2006
Since this article didn't mention any specific instances of censorship, I'm going to assume that this article has no validity. Not to say that there is no censorship, but this is just empty rhetoric.
ruckgesichtDec 9, 2006
I don't go to PCC, thankfully. But that isn't to say we aren't entirely dissimilar, unfortunately.
drhilariusDec 11, 2006
I have to say that I'm often amused by the crazy, left-wing, libbie socialists in academia articles/comments. My gf and I are enrolled in a grad program in a private, and very liberal (in terms of student body), university. I can safely say I've seen no evidence of left-wing bias in my three years of attendance. In fact:1. The student newspaper usually runs conservative editorials and letters. These editorials, btw, have almost always been persuasive, well written, and cohesive. Furthermore, student letters to the editors often chide editorialists who descend into the realm of "stupid libs/ conservatives" prose.2. Judging by the flyers posted throughout campus, and the talks I've attended, liberal and conservative student groups have equal representation and funding. During the 2004 election, the campus republicans and democrats had a tremendous presence ( I'll never forget the day a guy dressed up as a flip-flop handed me a pro-Bush flyer).3. In every class I have observed, the opinions of conservative students were listened to and debated with respect and maturity. As for faculty, I would say they go out of their way to accommodate students. My gf, for instance, began teaching last semester. She's a liberal through and through, and she goes to great lengths to make sure her opinions do not impact the content of her class or her feelings about her student. Just last semester she had a conservative students whose opinions she found, her words, "repellent", but he still got an A- minus in her writing class because he was a good writer. Indeed, in pedagogy classes, conferences, and in the hallowed pages of the Chron. of Higher Ed., profs. try to find ways to engage students across the political spectrum. That is the purpose of college- to make kids responsible, articulate citizens. Are there profs and administrators who are nothing more than bloviating ideologues? Certainly. However, you will find misguided ideologues in all walks of life and in all professions. That being said (sorry for bloviating there), what, precisely, is the objection to some speech codes when the speech being banned or discouraged is disruptive to the larger academic project? Specifically, can't one see how walking around calling people, say, spics or gentlemen (i.e. "disrespect of persons") makes it impossible to have meaningful or fruitful debates? At worst it teaches bigots that to function in the professional world they have to keep their bigotry to themselves. Lastly, I know the examples I cite are anecdotal, and I'm interested in hearing from anyone who experienced some kind of bias or needlessly punitive speech codes.