Posted on 10/17/2003 5:19:49 PM PDT by Lando Lincoln
University to Conservative Students: All Ideas Welcome... Except Yours
HERNDON, VA – The Roger Williams University (RI) administration froze funding and attacked a conservative campus organization for advocating diversity of thought through the group’s publication, The Hawk’s Right Eye.
Student activist Jason Mattera says the harassment by administration officials began when his group published articles in their newspaper countering attacks on Christianity, freedom of association, and diversity of thought made by two university sponsored guest speakers this fall. The guest speakers were Judy Shepard, mother of slain homosexual Matthew Shepard, and James Dale, a gay man excluded from the Boy Scouts. Shepard stated during her Welcome Week speech that "churches are damaging us as a society. They don’t allow us to grow." She also voiced support for hate-crime legislation. Dale castigated the Boy Scouts and trivialized its right of free association.
The university’s president, Roy Nirschel, responded to The Hawk’s Right Eye by sending an email to all students and faculty denouncing the paper claiming the organization has flirted with racism and "has crossed seriously over the lines of propriety." He went on to state that while the university affirms "the right of campus organizations to hold different points of view and to disagree, the university will not condone publications that create a hostile environment for our students and community" and added that the university is "too busy for hate."
After the president claimed the university supports the right of campus groups to disagree and hold different beliefs, administrators froze $2,700 in funding given to the group this year for the production of nine issues of their monthly publication. Now the student senate, faculty, and administrators will decide if the newspaper should be permanently de-funded.
In contrast, the Campus Entertainment Network, the Inter Residence Hall Association, and the Department of Campus Programs (the groups that "represent" the entire student body and financially supported the Judy Shepard and James Dale events) receive a combined budget of $715,000. The only conservative speakers invited to campus in recent years have been invited by the conservative group and organized by Young America’s Foundation. These include events featuring Ann Coulter, David Horowitz, Tammy Bruce (a lesbian critic of political correctness—November 5, 2003), and Reginald Jones (February 18, 2004).
"Once again," says Ron Robinson, president of Young America’s Foundation, "university administrators have taken a heavy-handed approach to silencing ideas that oppose the leftist orthodoxy so prevalent on college campuses. Administrators already have ample opportunity to contribute to a well-rounded discussion. They are not interested in civil discussions, rather they want to monopolize the forum."
Lando
Lando
I guess it's ime for the conservative group to invite Mrs. Dirkissing...
Just exactly what sort of wisdom could she impart to any student gathering?
Certainly not the kind that would do anyone any good, eh?!
Must be talking about this:
Shepard stated during her Welcome Week speech that "churches are damaging us as a society. They don’t allow us to grow."
No?
Obviously the university has the time for Roy Nirschel's brand of hate and is willing to condone his publications that create a hostile environment.
Can anyone dig up an e-mail address and phone number for this hate monger?
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