Phi Beta Kappa’s contempt for free speech

The Examiner (DC) ^ | 1 March 2005 | Editorial

[StayAt HomeMother]

George Mason University, Virginia’s aggressive and increasingly prestigious state school, isn’t good enough to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Why not? Because Michael Moore didn’t get a check for 35 grand and the opportunity to speak on campus.

It seems a small matter. Why punish GMU’s undergrads by denying them membership in the prestigious honor society for the dimwitted acts of others? According to letters to GMU, and cited by The Washington Post, Phi Beta Kappa is concerned about free speech and academic freedom.

That was news to us. In decades of campus speech codes, kangaroo courts punishing kids for unpopular views and dozens of instances when speakers were shouted down, Phi Beta Kappa said nothing.

Phi Beta Kappa’s top staffer said he didn’t know of any instances where the organization acted to pull membership from schools that stifle free speech. He refused to check further. Free speech experts couldn’t remember any instances and an Internet search and the society Web site revealed zilch.

So there you have it. When free speech for Moore is threatened, Phi Beta Kappa is there to punish kids who did nothing wrong. When the speech of undergrads is threatened, the wise and learned leaders of a two-century-old American institution can’t be bothered to lift a finger. Lovely.

[Casloy]

My alma mater and one hell of a good history department. They did the right thing refusing Moore, and my next check will include my support for their decision. I'll be damned if my contributions to GMU is going to end up in the pocket of a dirt bag like Moore.

[Noachian]

PBK was founded in 1776 by Daniel Webster, among others. It is very American. I'd like to see our side have some say in how it's managed.

Times change, and organizations do too.

Perhaps the prestige of PBK is due to its history and not to its present day priorities.

Putting things into perspective one should ask "Is it worth it"?

[Vaquero]

They can stick their key where the moon don't shine. What a bunch of elitist *ssholes (the current national organization, not individual members).

[RasterMaster]

I don't think PHI THETA KAPPA (key) is the same as Phi BETA Kappa...

[Vaquero]

?????

got me? I don't pretend to know. nor care to either.

[knuthom]

Having a Phi Beta Kappa key is a big deal (I don't have one).

I have one. It's not that big of a deal.

[L98Fiero]

"And, has your life been adversely effected in some way (poor health, lack of employment, social problems, etc.) by the lack of this "key"?"

My Mom is a PBK. I can't see how it affected her at all.

[knuthom]

They both have keys. Phi Theta Kappa is for two year colleges.

[Vaquero]

I was in school in the late 60's and early 70's.

at that time and in the small state schools I attended it was considered LAME to be in a frat.

I suppose this has changed.....

[RasterMaster]

Thanks for the clear-up...I attended a 2-year college where I was inducted to PTK.

[WindOracle]

Screw them, their "key" means nothing. Wanna belong to an organization with prestige, power, and honor... that would be the ones who wear the lambskin.

[JohnBovenmyer]

PBK does have an elected body supervising it, the Council. It makes final decisions on awarding new chapters. It's membership is chosen by the 270 school based chapters. Those of us with keys remain members of the chapters where we earned them. Council members also come from the 50+ PBK Associations, which are geographically based social clubs. I didn't realize there was such in my community until checking their listing and I'll probably continue to ignore it. The Chapters provide most of the Council membership. I presume any key holder can run for the council, but I also presume most such elections simply rubber stamp whatever PBK member professors at the various schools are willing to do the work required. Thus the resulting Council will tend to reflect whatever "values" are common in academia. Thus when applying their own new chapter selection criteria, which includes "an applicant institution:... (5) takes due precautions to prevent issues of governance, athletics, religion, or politics from subverting the integrity of the institution's dedication to liberal education" they focus on the word liberal. Any institution at which Walter E. Williams has been a department head is suspect, Their passing on Michael Moore was merely an excuse. My institution, which then featured Paul Wellstone, was beyond suspicion.