Posted on 03/31/2022 3:55:16 PM PDT by blam
UCLA is facing a new free speech controversy after its Director of Race and Equity, Jonathan Perkins, tweeted that he (like many) hoped Justice Clarence Thomas would die rather than recover from his recent illness. UCLA recently disciplined a student for controversial statements, but has stood by the right of Perkins to express such hateful viewpoints. Ironically, Perkins’ office has long posted anti-free speech positions to justify censorship and speech codes.
Perkins is a lawyer (with a J.D. from the University of Virginia) and previously worked in the General Counsel’s office of Harvard University.
When news spread of the hospitalization of Thomas, Perkins declared “No one wants to openly admit [we all] hope Clarence Thomas dies. Whatever you need to tell yourselves.” He further referred to objections to wishing death upon others as “silly” while adding a racist attack: “Uncle Thomas is a sexist token who’s committed himself to making us all share in he and his treasonous wife’s misery,”
Anna Spain Bradley, Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at UCLA, publicly stated that “this tweet does not reflect my or UCLA EDI’s views.”
It was a mild statement to be sure but I still support the right of Perkins and other faculty and students in being able to speak freely on social media. This was a personal viewpoint expressed outside of the school.
However, that was not the approach taken by UCLA in other controversies. Last year, UCLA athlete Chris Weiland was dismissed from the cross country and track & field team after video of him making racist, sexist and homophobic comments appeared on social media. The comments were overheard as Weiland spoke with his mother.
Avery Anderson, UCLA’s Director of Track and Field and Cross Country reinstated Weiland after a suspension, but then protests led to his dismissal.
UCLA’s Black Student-Athletes Alliance issued a statement that:
“UCLA knew about an incident of blatant racism, homophobia and sexism and did very minimal actions about it. … We do not feel safe with this person on campus, and we demand UCLA athletics take action immediately and remove this student from the team.”
Anderson responded to this and other objections by reversing her decision:
“It became clear that his continued involvement with the team is incompatible with the culture of mutual support and respect we’re fostering. I now realize that the decision to reinstate him was not the right decision, and that the action today is best for the well-being of our team.”
UCLA professors have also been subject to investigations and protests over their private speech or class policies that were denounced as racist. One professor is currently suing UCLA.
There are no such protests or actions taken over the hateful and racist comments of Perkins.
Notably, Perkins’ office espouses distinctly anti-free speech sentiments and calls classic defenses of free speech “myths.”
Myth Busting
◾Myth #1: Truth Always Prevails in the Marketplace of Ideas
◾Myth #2: Freedom-of-Speech is Everything
◾Myth #3: Only the Left (or Right) Hates Free Speech
◾Myth #4: Censorship is a One-Way Street
Many hold such views of the “myths of free speech” but this is a public university declaring that such views are myths. The official UCLA view that “free speech is [not] everything” and “censorship is [not] a One-Way Street” would not be supported by many citizens, particularly free speech advocates.
When it comes to Perkins, however, free speech will (correctly) protect him.
“ There’s no reasoning with a leftist kook. It will come down to brass tacks soon.”
And this is why we have a second amendment.
I thought that the death of Rush Limbaugh would make the entire left the happiest people on earth. What happened with that?
UCLA is a joke. A brilliant UCLA political science professor wrote many books, including a book about Cheating in Admissions at UCLA. He was violently pressured to leave and now happily teaches at a much better school. UCLA has a beautiful campus and an excellent med school, law school, and meteorology program. Plus, the school teaches 80 languages. Once again, woke liberal mentally-ill pagans destroy everything, even the wonderful UC’s. Sad.
Just a product of the state.
“He and his wife’s.” He should be fired just for the illiteracy.
Jonathan, that’s mighty white of you.
Do you wear a white pointy hood at partys?
No matter Jonathan, I don’t wish death on Joe Biden because he stole an election.
You know why? Because I’m a Christian and we would have word salad for president.
5.56mm
Lawyer with such lousy grammar?
Exactly.
Build Section 8 housing in his neighborhood, oh and while we’re at it, ship a boatload of refugees there as well, oh and dump a bunch of homeless people as well.
It is cute and funny when it is done to somebody else.
Your higher education tax dollars at work.
He wouldnt dare want that in his community..just like with the high and mighty celebrities who always preach about social justice..they are fine and dandy about crime as long as it does not occur in THEIR communities, once it goes into their backyard, they have a hissy fit
Anyone who thinks the mindset of Ayers was limited to the 60/70s is delusional. When CW2 happens this is what we’re dealing with.
Rule only applies to Christian conservatives.
Both.
I’m willing to give him a break. He must first give us complete license to say anything, to call him any name. He must admit that ALL hate speech is free speech.
He’s in an exempt class.
“Director of Race and Equity”
The fact such a ridiculous office even exists at a university is just further proof of the rapidly declining value of a college degree.
It’s part of the “big education” cycle.
All these highly paid profs and admins donate to Democrats.
They have the right to say stuff like that. US Constitution.
Regretfully, you do not. Leftist Elitist Insanity.
If someone else lost his job, apply the standard evenly. Fire this minion of the devil and, given its chosen preferred work, blackball it universally.
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