Posted on 12/01/2003 6:35:50 AM PST by Timesink
COLUMN MONDAY, DECEMBER 01, 2003
The McKinney Questions
By ELLIOTT MARTON REED
Imagine walking past M-c-K-i-n-n-e-y on Ho Plaza, asking "Hi. Isn't the weather great here?" Her response: "Yes. Bush did steal the election, because as MLK said… so in conclusion, I always fought for blacks in Florida while in Congress." As the second person to pose questions at her "What Kind of America" speech on Nov. 19, I swear this is basically all her standard response entails.
Don't professors answer questions in good faith? Real ones do. If I were a less reserved and conservative individual, I would have attended Cynthia M-c-K-i-n-n-e-y's events carrying a sign stating "Bring Professors, not Politicians" or maybe yell "Hey, hey ho, ho M-c-K-i-n-n-e-y doesn't know [anything about intellectual discourse or professorial obligation]." Or maybe, "I have no intention of supporting any program at Cornell until the University demonstrates that it is more interested in academic excellence rather than [sic] some lame attempt at recreating the 1960s." (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1009563/posts)
Shouldn't even honorary professors present cogent lectures that inform those in attendance? Real ones do. Yet, M-c-K-i-n-n-e-y went so far as to change her anticipated lecture topic of women in the military to a discussion of American politics to legitimate her presence. She pandered to the crowd and danced around questions like a dancer in a Tupac video. Tupac and "hip-hop summits" had something to do with my question on terrorist contributions to her campaign, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and how, in her view, a president might take affirmative efforts towards peace. I give her the benefit of the doubt and take what some friends suggested as a generous concession: M-c-K-i-n-n-e-y does mediocre at small events, but if the events are large she degenerates into a politician from an alleged intellectual. M-c-K-i-n-n-e-y had the benefit of the intellectual doubt and then disregarded our generosity.
Our suspicions that M-c-K-i-n-n-e-y would be sub par have been confirmed. Look at the Congressional Record, by the way, and look for debate on the "Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001." As a note for any Pilger events or future M-c-K-i-n-n-e-y events: four people and 20 minutes may be a bit much to introduce a speaker who has light academic credentials and couldn't -- as an incumbent, mind you -- secure her own party's nomination or re-election. Does someone with questionable academic credentials and a losing record deserve praise? A faculty moderator, a vice provost, a Mellon Scholar and a local politician came from her apparent Amen Corner.
I suspect that her presence on campus is symptomatic of the University's typical capitulation and dedication to loud, vocal far-leftists. Instead of inviting her for a colloquium, the professors conspired to force extremism to the forefront of our school's academic debate.
After three years on campus, I've come to the conclusion that bad choices are the rule and not the exception at Cornell; this problem is indicative of a need for change in the University administration. A "deanlet" was ejected this year with allegations of financial impropriety; she was "Assistant Dean for Diversity Education." Administrators at this level regularly hold forums and discussion sections. Cornell owes us some diligence in hiring educators who are beyond reproach. I'm sure the program "One Visa, Many Invoices" -- otherwise known as "One Vision, Many Voices" -- will be sorely missed.
Cornell University -- we can logically conclude -- does not care enough about the quality of its speakers. Let's not even call M-c-K-i-n-n-e-y a professor anymore. Cornell is still a prestigious institution, and it seems that it is up to the students to bring high-profile or prestigious speakers to speak on substantive issues. The Cornell College Republicans have been the first to accept the challenge by bringing a thought-provoking and prominent speaker to campus: Ward Connerly. He will offer his theory of why "Race has no place in American life or law" tomorrow in Uris Auditorium at 7:30.
For now, students, alumni and faculty should continue to openly criticize the Rhodes professorship selection process. I challenge everyone to speak out and help reverse the self-destructive and disgraceful turns the University has taken in providing public speaking events and choosing lecturers.
If you cannot teach, if students cannot connect to and enjoy the lecture, how will they truly learn or benefit? Academic rigor and high standards usually account for this. But according to an alumnus writing on FreeRepublic.com, Cornell is "packed with people who have vague job titles and no real work." Maybe it's time for these people to check out the "want-ads."
Elliott Marton Reed is a junior in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations and is Chair of the Cornell College Republicans. He can be reached at chairman@cornellrepublicans.org. Guest Room appears periodically.
I remember that post here on FR. Good times were had by all.
Clever!
What's with the M-c-K-i-n-n-e-y thing though?
The poor dear must be confused. She's apparently forgotten that she was a Representative from Georgia.
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