Professor: Marquette cop killer mural product of exclusive ‘inclusion’ campus crowd

The Wisconsin Reporter ^ | 5-18-15 | M.D. Kittle

[afraidfortherepublic]

At Marquette University, if you write a blog criticizing a student teacher for stifling the speech of a student who doesn’t believe in same-sex marriage, you can lose your job.

Commission a mural of a convicted cop killer, well, that’s just diversity of ideas.

Yes, Marquette administrators had the mural of black militant Assata Shakur removed Sunday evening, but not until, ironically, long-time Marquette political science professor John McAdams broke the story on his “Marquette Warrior” blog.

That’s the same John McAdams who has been suspended from teaching since November, when the political conservative and frequent critic of Marquette administration criticized in his blog a graduate student teacher who wouldn’t allow a student in her philosophy class to voice his opposition to same-sex marriage.

On Monday, just hours before McAdams’ blog post went national, Marquette administration released a statement saying they just became aware of the mural that was “created and displayed in a remote area of campus.”

“This is extremely disappointing as the mural does not reflect the Guiding Values of Marquette University. It is being removed immediately. We are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the mural and will take appropriate action,” administration said in a press release.

McAdams, in a conversation with this reporter on NewsTalk 1130 WISN in Milwaukee on Monday, said one of the problems with Marquette’s top administration is they “hang out in a palatial office building … and mostly talk to each other and don’t get around very much.”

“However, a lot of lower level officials and administrators had to know about it, (and the mural) had to be approved by the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center. All of the staffers there would have known about it. It’s on the fourth floor of the (Alumni Memorial) union.”

The bigger question is, will the university come down as hard on the sponsors of the mural of Shakur, convicted in 1973 of murdering a New Jersey state trooper in a shootout, as it did on McAdams for his blog opinions?

Not only was the painting in the doorway of the controversial Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, the center’s Facebook page boasted about it.

“Thank you to the Alpha Kappa Alpha’s for initiating the mural to be done at the GSRC. It looks absolutely beautiful. Check it out at AMU 424,” the post proclaims.

Next to the image of Shakur, a former member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army, reads a couple of her quotes, including this one: “No one is going to give you the education you need to overthrow them.”

Shakur remains on the FBI’s “Most Wanted” list in Cuba, where she has lived under the protection of the communist government since 1984.

While McAdams faces the end of a distinguished 40-year academic career for his speech, the cop killer mural is being celebrated by the Marquette “diversity of thought” crowd.

The political science professor, a staunch defender of the First Amendment, said the problem for Marquette’s administration is not particularly that they explicitly condone the mural, but that they put in place politically correct bureaucracies to placate left-leaning groups on campus.

“They will do it in the name of diversity or inclusion and then these lower level bureaucrats proceed to do sometimes outrageous things,” McAdams said.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. has released a statement on the mural controversy, asserting the artistic project was approved by the university.

“The chapter worked with the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center to determine a theme and imagery for the mural,” the statement reads. “The chapter, along with other university staff and students painted a mural that featured an image and quote by Assata Shakur to promote student thinking about their educations and history.”

“Unfortunately, Ms. Shakur’s entire history and background was not fully researched. If that process had occurred, she would not have been featured in the mural.”

Alpha Kappa Alpha says in no way do its 283,000 members “condone, promote, or tolerate the killing or violent activities of anyone.”

McAdams called it another example of the insular nature of the “politically correct culture.”

“These folks have convinced themselves that they are social justice warriors, that anyone who sees things differently is a racist, a sexist, or a homophobe. They live in this little narrow culture and have trouble seeing things when run into opposition from outside,” McAdams said.

Meanwhile, his case drags on.

In early February, the university began the process to terminate his tenure.

Marquette’s Faculty Hearing Committee is eventually expected to issue an advisory opinion to administration on McAdams’ status. But a decision isn’t expected until fall.

“If they refuse to back off and continue to try to fire me, then it’s a lawsuit and I have extremely good lawyers,” he said.

McAdams’ asserts Marquette has a contractual obligation to respect the academic freedom of its faculty, something administrators blatantly did not do when they suspended him and moved to fire him for blogging his thoughts.

Marquette says it is looking to cut ties with McAdams based on what administrators believe was the professor’s violation of the university’s “Guiding Values,” the same values they seem to now be worried about in the promotion of the cop killer mural.

McAdams still is collecting his salary and benefits. He says he’s not in any great hardship at present, but he worries about other conservative educators on campuses across the country that are continuously silenced by the political correctness crowd, led by the left.

He said diversity and inclusiveness does not include certain forms of speech in the minds of the political correctness movement.

“By diversity they mean you have to shut off all opinions that this or that victim group is assumed to disagree with,” the professor said. “Anything they don’t like they say is harassment, or it is offensive, or it makes people feel unsafe or it is unsafe, etc., etc. They have a huge vocabulary they use to try to shut up ideas they don’t like.”

[afraidfortherepublic]

THIS MADE SENSE TO SOMEBODY: This mural of convicted cop killer Assata Shakur has been removed from Marquette University’s Gender and Sexuality Resource Center following a blog post by a Marquette professor who may lose his job for writing things the university did not like.

Photo courtesy of prouty.org
IN LIMBO: Marquette University political science professor John McAdams continues to await the outcome of a process that could end with the termination of his tenure – part of a nationally watched speech and academic freedom battle.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Freedom of Speech & Diversity: Marquette University harrasses conservative professor over religious beliefs (traditional marriage), yet allows mural of convicted cop killer to be displayed in their gender and sexuality resource center.

FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.

[Incorrigible]

“Gender and Sexuality Resource Center”

Sheesh! Nothing like that in the 80’s.

[Viennacon]

some people are savages. not all, but some.

[RginTN]

Who proposed the idea to make Shukur a mural...start there and one will find the person or people who agree with violent commie revolution.

[EEGator]

Tupac’s murdering Aunt...how lovely.

[terycarl]

This whole situation with Marquette University makes me sick...I actually took courses from them as I needed them...I lived in Milwaukee and Marquette was the epitome of virtue and truth....now it has become a hell hole of liberal, evil, nonsense...it is sickening to watch a prestigeous Catholic University sink into oblivion.

[El Cid]

Next to the image of Shakur, ... reads a couple of her quotes, including this one: “No one is going to give you the education you need to overthrow them.”

Deep thinker.
Reads like a couple of fragmented thoughts, and they don't really form a cohesive idea or statement.

'No one is going to give you an education'. A debatable comment -- there are quite a few good people out there that are willing to teach someone who wants to put in the effort and learn -- but let's give her this comment. 'No one is going to give you an education' -- then what? You are going to teach yourself? You are going to get a job since an education is wasted on you? What exactly does Shakur have in mind? "Overthrow them"?? Okaay...
I think I'd have been more embarrassed writing that quote, than in painting the picture of the cop killer (at least someone could have painted a mustache on her. Or painted a bulls eye on her). The quote is just an incomplete thought from an angry mind.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Let’s see. A white, tenured, conservative, First Amendment Rights professor.

“OFF WITH HIS HEAD” said the Red Queen.

Marquette Un. has become another leftist, gender-bender, black racist center of subversion and perversion.

Nothing new. Move along. There are showers awaiting you.

[Norseman]

Here’s an interesting comment appended to the article in question:

You know, we have all these stories of conservative words and deeds “triggering” liberal students. (Ironic that they choose the word “trigger,” no?)

Well I’ll tell you what, a lot of the things liberals say and do are perfectly capable of “triggering” conservative students as well. The difference? Conservatives haven’t figured out yet that they need to stand up and be offended, i.e., claim the liberal b.s. is triggering them somehow.

This shouldn’t be too difficult because when a liberal professor tells a student he will not be allowed to voice a conservative objection, that should trigger warnings in all of us. Sadly, it doesn’t, but it should. Just tell the professor you’ve read Orwell, and his stance strikes fear of totalitarian oppression in you, and furthermore, you can’t sleep at night now and that he needs to take his objection to a free speech zone and not invade your “safe space.”

So, let’s take the fight to them on their own terms. Pretty soon, there won’t be any class discussions allowed at all, liberal or conservative, since anything said will trigger someone. That, if nothing else, will expose this “triggering” nonsense for what it is.

[sgtyork]

Marquette Warriors was offensive...

The Marquette ‘Kop Killas’. I spit.

[GOPJ]

Do not send your kids to this college hellhole...