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Posted on 01/30/2011 10:28:13 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Washington University in St. Louis canceled abstinence advocate Bristol Palin’s speaking engagement amid much outcry over her qualifications and payment.
The university withdrew her invitation after students began to protest her scheduled February appearance as part of Student Sexual Responsibility Week. Scott Elman, president of Student Health Advisory Committee, told WU’s school paper that the decision to cancel Palin’s appearance was “100 percent mutual.”
Elman said the SHAC initially invited Palin because they felt a big name would draw more people to hear a message about abstinence. But both parties agreed that the controversy would overshadow the event’s intended message of sexual responsibility.
“SHAC stands by our decision to extend an invitation to Bristol, but we understand that a lot of our original intentions for discussing abstinence on campus, as well as sexual responsibility, were going to be lost” in the uproar surrounding her appearance, stated Elman.
The controversy began after the university unveiled that a $20,000 budget was approved to sponsor the panel discussion featuring the “Dancing with the Stars” alumna. Student Union President Morgan DeBaun issued a statement announcing that students had not been consulted in the decision to bring Palin to campus. The university has nearly 14,000 students. The announcement and SU statement were followed by student petitions and verbal protests against the decision.
According to the campus publication Student Life, the protests are over mainly over the money. However, there appears to be some other issues involved in the protest.
On a Facebook page entitled “No Thanks Bristol,” it states, “It's not that we don't support abstinence as a legitimate approach to sex on campus, but that we're paying an inordinate amount of money on a panel and a speaker that really don't deserve such resources when things like EST and a bunch of competitive debate groups don't get the money they need to fully operate!”
The Facebook page appears to have been created by the Washington University College Democrats. Four paragraphs down, the page goes on to question Palin’s qualification to speak on abstinence.
“She is a polarizing figure, both politically and socially, and does not provide the well-rounded and thoughtful approach a matter as hot as sex on campus deserves. She is unqualified, undeserving and her fame comes only as a result of her association to a most ridiculous political family,” the page states.
The above message is reportedly the general sentiment on campus. Democrats, Republicans and abstinent individuals alike reportedly agree. However, many messages posted on the page conflict with allegations that Palin is unqualified.
A poster named Brian Kline wrote, “I understand not thinking she's the most qualified or not liking her political views, but she does have firsthand experience of the matter at hand – teen sex – so it would be unwise to deride her just because you don't like her and/or her family.”
Commenter Christopher Kittredge George responded to claims that Palin is a hypocrite saying, “Last time I checked, most anti-drug advocates are reformed addicts. They're all hypocrites too, right?”
Palin, the daughter of the former Alaska Governor, became pregnant at age 17. Since giving birth to her now two-year-old son, Tripp, Palin, 20, has become a spokesperson for Candies’ campaign against teen pregnancy. She also advocates for abstinence.
Palin was scheduled to talk about her experiences as a teenage mom and also abstinence as an option for teens wishing to prevent teen pregnancy. It is unclear how much of the $20,000 would have been paid to her for speaking on the panel. She never signed a contract with the university committing to an appearance.
Kathryn Plax, a pediatrician and the director of the Adolescent Center at the medical school, will replace Palin in the panel discussion on sexual abstinence. The panel discussion will be held in WU’s Graham Chapel on Feb. 7.
It doesn’t say that Bristol Palin was to receive $20K. It says $20K was designated for the panel discussion event.
There were very likely other costs related to the event, i.e., hall rental (yes, the campus groups are frequently charged for use of those facilities), security, etc. Other speakers might have had honoraria, travel costs, etc.
The protesters would have had not one question about 5x that fee going for a Michael Moore appearance. The College Dems win again.
Contrast this with the Rutgers event yesterday banning Jewish attendees, posted elsewhere on these threads.
Both Bristol Palin and Meghan McCain need to go home, get a real job, live a reputable life, and quit riding their parents’ coattails to the spotlight.
Enough, already. Tired of reading about both of them.
The name Palin always sends junior commie libs into hysterics.
Hey it’s the students they are spending, however I would like to see the list of the other speakers they have paid for.
Bristol Palin is just being used by the left and the media as a laughing stock. She needs to step out of the limelight, raise her kid and get some education.
More likely the student Dems used the money angle as a means to get Bristol booted. It was probably their agitation that made it an issue. And the student Republicans probably rolled over because it's uncool on campus to be seen as supporting a Palin.
Bump!
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Hate on campus, exhibited by liberals. What a shock.
I sent the university contact person an email:
The Universities decision to rescind the speaking engagement of Bristol Palin fits nicely in with other lecture you have scheduled Brookings Institution president to speak about polarization in American politics Feb. 7 The irony of the two events fits with the pattern of those on the left/progressive side of the ledger. Silence all those who aren’t on the liberal/progressive plantation or a member of the liberal/progressive elite. Truly this is the hallmark of a liberal/progressive university.
How many liberal/progressive individuals have you dis-invited in the last few years. My guess is none. In fact if someone tried to you’d quickly change your mind no matter how radical the individual was with the argument of “academic freedom” and not falling prey to the anti-free speech forces.
BTW if she did show up to speak your free-speech loving students and faculty who fully support “academic freedom” would most certainly shout her down and drive her from the stage. It wouldn’t even surprise me if she’d be assaulted by your free-speech loving students with the support of the faculty by a pie or something even more violent. That’s the usual pattern in today’s universities when people who aren’t in favor with the liberal/progressive forces that dominate the education system.
Yes, free speech for me, but not for thee.
Bristol Palin has been offerd a job out here in AZ where she purchased her first home...and all one hears is negativity about her....damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t. The girl fell in love, made a huge mistake, and it has been flaunted all over the universe. She has a beautiful child out of the pain and distress and seems to be trying to turn her life around by being a role model for others who may make the same decision she did...and find themselves in the same situation. We should lift her up instead of forever tearing her down. Shame upon us all!
I bet if someone like Valerie McCarthy were denied speech, the students would be crying freedom of speech and would make such a hissy fit that they would shut down the university.
Are you saying that $20,000 for an appearance is too much—or not much?
Bingo.
And my two cents is that I personally don’t think any of the speakers invited to various and asunder places deserve hundreds of thousands of dollars either...plus these “honorary degrees” handed out like candy canes at Christmas. I can see paying for one’s expenses but some of these fees are ridiculous. So, in essence, we agree.
I hope they send your letter back corrected.
Spot on! Those Freepers who talk down Bristol are not hiding their true agenda: take Sarah Palin down and raise Romney up. Why Romney? The Log Cabin Republicans. Mitt Romney believes in giving domestic partnership status to homosexuals which would open up health care benefits and rights. It would also set the stage for an attack on the Marriage Act’s one man, one woman protection.
Why do you suppose that the homo minions are the most vocal in their opposition to Sarah Palin?
There's a museum there that had this intriguing display of penis shields from around the world ~ rather emblematic if you ask me.
Wonder if they've tried them on lately ~ some big guys in some parts Fur Shur.
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