The college has the press release on their HOME PAGE!
I think this guy is all but toast now.
http://www.warren.cc.nj.us/
I hope so, but the only way to be sure is to keep this alive. That statement basically said that the college believes in free speech, ALL free speech, and that there will be an investigation of some sort. This is the text of my latest letter, sent to everyone on the above email list this morning (couldn't get all the italicized and highlighted areas contained in the actual email to show up here on FR, though):
Dr. Austin et al,
It is with extreme displeasure that I send this email, concerning your latest statement in regards to John Daly's intimidation of Rebecca Beach. Once again, the college has unexplainably seen fit to allow the behavior of Mr. Daly to go unchallenged. Instead of Mr. Daly's immediate suspension without pay, you again promise some sort of future investigation, but again provide no details or timetable whatsoever. To wit;
>>Dr. Austin said, I personally find Mr. Dalys e-mail disgraceful and offensive, yet I must maintain that the college be a place for free expression, ideas, and open debate.<<
However, what Mr. Daly did was attempt to forcibly stifle ANY and ALL expression, ideas, and debate that were contrary to his own utterly irrational position. He has used his position as an employee of your college to attack, bully, threaten and intimidate a freshman student. His behavior is not only odious, is is illegal and unacceptable on ANY LEVEL.
>>Dr. Austin added, We must remember that Mr. Daly is just one instructor out of many here. These are apparently his personal political views.<<
Mr. Daly admits that he is member of International ANSWER, a front organization for the Worker's World Party (WWP). The WWP supports and encourages, among other things, socialist revolution and the abolition of all private property. It is a champion of harsh socialist dictatorships around the world,
and has stated that Saddam Hussein is guilty of no wrongdoing. Mr. Daly has stated that "The administration at WCCC believes Rebecca Beach is an innocent student acting alone, but I recognized her literature right away as being part of a national right-wing movement. Her group is an ultra right-wing, possibly fascist, group."
Mr. Daly is acting as part of a group in what he sees as a war on facism. He is doing it conscientiously, without regard to any rules of college conduct or the rule of law.
>>The college will continue to keep its pulse on this issue while maintaining its high standards of professionalism and integrity of all concerned, noted Dr. Austin.<<
"Keep its pulse on this issue"...? To anyone out here in Reality World, that sounds like you are going to keep issuing lukewarm-sounding press statements while you continue to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING... while you wait to see if this affair just slips into the background.
I wish to be perfectly clear upon this point: By no stretch of the imagination will this issue go away until your college has followed its own regulations, as well as the laws of this country, and fired Instructor Daly from his position at your school.
CAS
Maine
For immediate release: November 19, 2005
Warren County Community College to Hold an Emergency Meeting
The Board of Trustees of Warren County Community College will convene an emergency meeting of the Board, Tuesday, November 22, 2005 at 6:30 PM. This meeting was called by Board Chair Edward Smith.
The Board of Trustees intends to consider the welfare and rights of its students, the college community, and the public in lieu of recent events. The Board will also consider personnel issues.
The college President, Dr. William Austin reiterates his statement that comments made by Mr. Daly are his own. The opinions Mr. Daly has expressed do not represent the views of the community college, administration, faculty, staff or students, nor do his views align with the colleges mission and core values.
College President Dr. Austin said, The Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for the first legally available date.