Posted on 10/24/2014 8:09:13 AM PDT by Kaslin
Dear Kyle F. Student (not real name):
I am in receipt of your email request for extra credit. First of all, I would like to thank you for writing to ask for extra credit rather than wasting precious class time with your request. This will also spare you from being humiliated in front of your peers. Unfortunately, though, it will probably result in your being humiliated in front of numerous members of our community - some of whom will probably be members of our university community as well. Please allow me to explain.
Your extra credit assignment will be completed in five basic steps. In order to get full credit, you must complete each one of the following steps in order:
1. Buy a cardboard box and tear off a square piece approximately 12 inches wide and eight inches tall.
2. Purchase one black magic marker.
3. Using the black magic marker, write the following words on the piece of cardboard
ABLE-BODIED MAN REFUSES TO WORK
PLEASE GIVE ME SOMETHING I DID NOT EARN
4. Go to the Walmart on Market Street and College Road and hold up the sign at the entrance to the parking lot. Just blend right in with all the able-bodied men who are holding up signs begging for money instead of working. Stay there for approximately one hour.
5. Go home and write a 500 word description of what it felt like to ask people who work for a living to give you something you did not earn. I am especially interested in how it felt for you as a man to beg from women - especially those with small children in need of cheap food and modest clothing. Share your feelings with me, Kyle. And don’t hold back one bit. Pretend like you’re writing a Women’s Studies paper.
I predict that your reaction to this little assignment will take one of two forms. Each reaction requires a separate course of action and, therefore, must be discussed separately.
This would not be terribly surprising to me given your behavior this semester. Recall that you once asked the following question during a test review session: “Dr. Adams, what particular cases should we focus on (emphasis mine) as we prepare for the next exam?” In other words, you actually asked me which cases would be on the exam so that you could just read those – as opposed to all the cases you were assigned this semester.
Also, recall that after I specifically told you not to disclose personal medical information to me you came into my office and announced that you were “bi-polar.” In fact, you began your sentence by saying “I know we’re not supposed to tell you this, but …”
In other words, you seem to be more than just comfortable trying to get special treatment by making people feel sorry for you. In fact, you seem to feel entitled to beg for sympathy. And you would not do it unless you thought you could get something in the process.
In short, if you decide that you feel comfortable hanging out at Walmart with the other beggars then I would suggest that you drop out of college immediately. You don’t need a degree to hold a sign and look pathetic. Save yourself the debt, Kyle.
In fact, you might feel rightfully ashamed – knowing that you are able-bodied and can do much better with your God-given potential.
If your reaction is indeed one of shame then congratulations! The good news is that you will have earned ten points on your final average. The bad news is that it will have to be credited towards the ten points I just deducted from your average for asking me to give you something you did not earn.
Put simply, Kyle, there are two types of men in this world. There are those who spend their lives begging for things they don’t deserve. And then there are the rest of us who spend our lives working to subsidize their dependency. You simply need to decide what kind of man you are going to be.
Good luck on your assignment, Kyle. I look forward to reading your paper.
You really might want to stop digging now, brother. You’re about navel deep.
I’ve never seen someone so vigorously beg the question as you.
I would imagine that there was an actual "Kyle F. Student" who asked for extra credit that Adams refused, noting perhaps that he did not deserve it and it gave him an unfair advantage over his fellow students who actually did the assignments that "Kyle" supposedly blew off, or whatever.
However, having not been there, I wouldn't know (or assume) that the meeting/email exchange/whatever played out literally as it did in the column. My guess is that the tone of the column is for his readers' benefit, not "Kyle's." Adams uses sarcasm as a literary device, to make his point in an entertaining fashion.
You may be right. But at least now that he has national eyes on the situation, it will cost them.
I think you should write him a letter and tell hiim how you feel about it.
Me, too! Adams is an acquired taste. Glad we are still FRiendly after my spirited defense. I have become a fan of his over the years.
Oh, spare me the lofty judgmentalism of someone you have judged to be too judgmental.
Your post is a relief. Amazed that there are still freepers who don't know about Adams.
At the end of every term, I get students in my office who want to persuade me to give them a higher grade...and what I mean by persuade is argue. Occasionally I will give them a chance to improve their grade. Only about 3-5% of the students who want a better grade are actually willing to work for it. Some turn in their additional work and then come back again to argue for more points (on the new work which is usually not good). I have a rubric for everything and will not budge. Next, they go to the dean or the president to complain about me. After that, they write an excoriating review of my class, my teaching style, and me. Oh, one more thing. About 10 minutes after anyone drops off late work or extra work, they start the calls and emails asking when I will meet with them again to go over their grade and additional work. They had a semester to meet with me, but wait until two days before the end of the term to actually meet with me.
Did all of you saying that Mike is a jerk for this actually read the whole thing?
“I’d take that note straight to the Dean/Principal/Attorney’s office.”
Yes, by all means necessary. Another Mike Adams US Supreme Court win would be good for us all.
“Our society needs to start treating its abusers harshly. Adams used one of the oldest and — used wisely — most effective deterrents a society has: shame.”
WINNER!
I am stunned by some of these responses. I had to check and make sure I was on Freerepublic and not the Huffington Post.
What happened to the ideal of personal responsibility around here?
Sarcasm is now a sin?
Wow...
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