Campus Newspeak at UNC-Wilmington

FrontPage Magazine ^ | 12/18/03 | Mike Adams

[bdeaner]

Campus Newspeak at UNC-Wilmington
By Mike Adams
Townhall.com | December 18, 2003

In a recent Washington Times commentary (December 7, 2003), I used language suggesting that the tactics of campus diversity proponents sometimes resemble tactics the Nazis used during World War II. A recent letter to the editor by UNC-Wilmington professor Dick Veit (rhymes with "spite") lends credence to the analogy.

The UNCW College Republicans (CRs) have recently been involved in a highly publicized conflict with the university administration. The controversy began when the CRs tried to limit their membership to Republicans. The university wanted to force them to admit Democrats. When the CRs refused to capitulate, they had their official group status revoked and had their funds frozen by the university. Shortly thereafter, Professor (of English) Veit wrote the following to the local New York Times affiliate:

Back to the past?

Editor: Let's hear it for UNCW's Young Republicans [sic], fighting for the right to keep out black people and Jews.

Why should their members be forced to associate with Catholics [sic — the CRs' president is Catholic] or Arab Americans if they don't care to? And how much fun can it be to make fun of gays in a room where gay Republicans are present?

If our campus Republicans are uncomfortable being around blind people or students in wheelchairs, what gives UNCW the right to withhold money from student fees?

Fight on, Young Republicans [sic], to return us to the days when segregation was a proud tradition. How dare UNCW discriminate against a club that discriminates.

Most readers probably did not notice that Veit began his letter by confusing the “College Republicans” (a UNCW student group) with the “Young Republicans” (a group of Republicans under age 40, which is not affiliated with the university). But that was the least of his errors.

No one who read Veit’s letter, without prior knowledge of the CR controversy, could have come to the correct conclusion that the CRs simply wanted to limit membership in their Republican club to Republicans. Veit did not mention political affiliation, which is the sole source of the controversy between the CRs and the university.  Instead, Veit made the following assertions:

1. The CRs hate blacks
2. The CRs hate Jews
3. The CRs hate Catholics
4. The CRs hate Arabs
5. The CRs hate Gays
6. The CRs hate blind people
7. The CRs hate people in wheelchairs
8. The CRs support segregation

Put simply, Veit’s commentary makes no contribution to the debate over whether student groups have a right to limit membership to those who share their beliefs. Instead, Veit has simply made a fool of himself publicly.

For many families, funding a college education will be the second biggest investment they make, aside from buying a home. Is it really morally acceptable for these people to have to work so hard to send their kids to college so that professors can falsely accuse them of racism and anti-Semitism, with the full protection of tenure?

There is one issue upon which everyone can agree. Dick Veit owes the CRs and their hardworking parents a public apology.

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Mike S. Adams is an associate professor at the University of North Carolina - Wilmington.

[bdeaner]

Dick Veit: veit@uncwil.edu

[VOA]

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[spodefly]

If not for UNC-W, the bikini scene at Wrightsville Beach would not be as interesting.

This professor is, unfortunately, typical.

[Steve_Seattle]

If the Republican club were forced to admit Democrats, Democrats (who are probably a majority on campus) could pack the next meeting, elect their own officers, and turn the Republican club into an arm of the Democratic Party. Once again, university officials exhibit a pathological mix of stupidity, dishonesty, and bias.

[Prime Choice]

Let me see if I got this right...a Republican club has to admit Democrats by decree of the University.

Well then...I'd think that the Women's showers should be forced to admit men! We can't have any of this discriminatory segregation going on, now can we? C'mon...it's all in the name of "diversity," right?

[bdeaner]

Well then...I'd think that the Women's showers should be forced to admit men! We can't have any of this discriminatory segregation going on, now can we? C'mon...it's all in the name of "diversity," right?

Or how about whites infiltrating the African-American club? Let's see how long that would be tolerated.

[Prime Choice]

Or how about whites infiltrating the African-American club? Let's see how long that would be tolerated.

It'd never fly. In the eyes of the Left, only whitey can be racist. Everyone else is simply "celebrating their heritage."

[bdeaner]

I can't tell you how many times over my very long education -- from undergraduate to PhD -- that I heard that stupid argument. Only whitey can be racist. Complete pretzel logic, and these people do NOT listen to reason.

[Steve_Seattle]

I've emailed Professor Adams a show of support, and encourage others to do likewise.

[Munch]

http://home.ec.rr.com/theveits/NDreunion02.html

Picture of Professor Veit.
ND class of '67

[Cooter]

UNC-By The Sea is the local nickname.

[bdeaner]

Veit is the dude on the far right:

[BushisTheMan]

He looks a little light in the loafers to me....

[bdeaner]

He looks like Christopher Guest's character in "A Mighty Wind":



The guy sure can blow a lot of wind.

[Hobsonphile]

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