Tufts University Declares Open Season on Patriots

Frontpage ^ | November 9, 2001 | Joshua Martino

[Mr. Mulliner]

Tufts University Declares Open Season on Patriots

By Joshua Martino

FrontPageMagazine.com | November 9, 2001

PATRIOTISM, HONOR, AND PACIFICISM—everywhere but on America’s most politically correct college campuses these are virtues. Unfortunately, my friend Sam Dangremond and I go to Tufts University. Like many liberal arts schools, loving America at Tufts can be hazardous to your health.

Sam is the editor-in-chief of the campus’ conservative magazine, The Primary Source. At a left-leaning university, that’s a tough job. I should know; I was Sam’s predecessor. In my four years at Tufts, I’ve seen leftists mobilize against swordfish in the cafeteria, decry the inherent racism of The Lion King, and protest a lecture by Colin Powell. I thought I’d seen the worst of campus radicalism by my senior year when I let Sam take over as chief editor. Then one night, three campus radicals assaulted Sam because he displayed the American flag.

One of our university’s most sacred traditions is painting a cannon on the main quad. Political groups, fraternities, and boyfriends who forget their anniversaries decorate the mock relic from the U.S.S. Constitution and guard it all night so that no other students paint over their message. On October 11, to honor the victims of the attacks on America, Sam and the staff of our magazine proudly adorned the cannon with the colors of the American flag and the message “God Bless America.” Then the rest of the staff left for the evening. Sam stayed to guard the cannon.

He was alone until 5 am when three student radicals, clad in baggy, hooded sweatshirts and bandanas across their faces, arrived at the cannon and found Sam studying in his sleeping bag. They knew he would be there. Earlier that night, one of them saw us painting and shouted, “We’re gonna get you good.” That leftist kept his promise. Two of the hooded hoodlums seized Sam and wrestled him to the ground. They did so repeatedly as Sam struggled to get up and prevent the third student from painting over the American flag. Finally Sam freed himself and called the police. When Tufts officers arrived at the scene, they found the three leftists, still in disguise, gloating over their masterpiece. Scrawled over the stars and stripes were the words: “Violence has no peace.”

Sam filed assault charges. Soon after, the three leftists submitted counter-charges, claiming Sam had attacked them. The case went before a judiciary panel of Tufts students and administrators. The evidence against the three radicals was overwhelming. Their accounts of the incident contradicted each other. The police report indicated they had admitted to physically restraining Sam at the cannon. Common sense says three students incognito are more guilty than one without a disguise. At Tufts, the penalty for this type of assault is suspension for one semester.

Yet anyone familiar with life on a politically correct campus knows that there is no justice for conservatives. Last Thursday a Tufts tribunal acquitted Sam, but his attackers got a wrist-slap: Probation 1. At Tufts, that’s the same punishment you get for walking outside your dorm with an open beer can. The dean presiding over the case told Sam via email “based on the admissions of [the three leftists] that they intended to paint over your work, even if you were present, and that they practiced physical non-violent strategies prior to going to the cannon, the panel found the three students to be guilty of harassment.”

If not for the severity of the crime, I might have better appreciated the irony: Sam’s attackers are members of a student group called The Coalition for Social Justice and Nonviolence.

Sam and I are now university-sanctioned targets for violence. The staff of our magazine lives in fear of harassment by the new Tufts definition; that is, we fear assault, censorship, and watching our attackers be pardoned for their crimes.

Since the incident at the cannon, I’ve secretly wished that Sam had fought back. I sure would have thrown a punch for Old Glory (and probably would have been suspended for a hate crime). But Sam did not react with violence; a peaceful man, he only demanded that his attackers set him free. The lenient verdict—and perhaps Sam’s passivity—brazened Tufts leftists. Boxloads of our magazine’s issues have been stolen and the radical campus media continues to slander Sam. I tell myself if he had only landed one blow perhaps his defiance would have scared off Sam’s assailants. But Sam is not a coward who needs violence to achieve justice. Too bad for us both that Tufts University needs something more than the truth to do the same.

Joshua Martino is a student at Tufts University. His e-mail address is: jmarti04@tufts.edu.

[Clemenza]

Same thing with Fordham, thanks to lefty Jesuits. The student body was largely politically apathetic, with a vocal liberal minority dominating political discussions. As far as conservatives are concerned we were an insignificant minority, even within the College Republicans.

I remember that whenever we put signs up, they were torn down and often sent back to me with threatening message (Fascist, racist, ignorant, etc.).

[jonatron]

Fyi

[Clemenza]

Yeah, most of the lefties in Florida are over 60 and live in Palm Beach and Broward Counties. Unfortunatly, there are so many of them and they keep coming.

[mc5cents]

Hey, I didn't even know that Tufts had a football team. I thought that the Pats were playing the Bills this weekend.

[1 FELLOW FREEPER]

Unwittingly,Mr. Martino picked a school that is in a BAD neighborhood (Cambridge, Mass. is 1/2 mile away along with Harvard). I know that Tufts requires that you graduate in the top 10% of your hs class,and have 600-700 verbal, and 650+ mathematical on your SAT's to gain acceptance there. So Martino blew it thataway also. He could have had his pick o' the litter, but he chose Tufts. Now the good news.........he can TRANSFER!!!!

[Red Jones]

bump

[Benson_Carter]

*

[FreedomFarmer]

Before everyone gets all wound up, almost every college has disciplinary agreement with the municipality and district they are located in.
The proceedings are as legally binding as the local municipal court.
Appeals go to District Court, and both the Prosecutor and the Judge can dismiss without hearing. Appeals are heard on point of law, not because you don't like what you heard the first time.

The college owns the cannon.
The kid admits to painting a picture and passionate political and religious message on the cannon under cover of darkness.
The college can prosecute the kid for vandalism, tresspass, or a host of other charges, or press them onto the District Court, to give him a Permanent Criminal Record. College rule infractions are just that.

Striking out based on emotional appeal is how the socialists manipulate the sheeple. Like it or not, they own the law on this one.

[George W. Bush]

Tufts has no reason to fear mistreating conservatives and Christians. They hosted Fistgate I and Fistgate II where they teach junior high kids the joys of S&M sex and the positive and loving nature of fisting and other sodomite practices.

Why would any sane person send their kids there?

Personally, I'd like to secede from NY & MA & CA. They're Blue America. I live in Red America.

[PapaLima]

Welcome to massachusetts.

One of the reasons I'm taking my tax dollars and moving to another state.

[rmvh]

Re your #41

Its a sad thing! My wife graduated with honors from a Catholic college in NJ years after I got out of ND. This particular school was almost entirely lesbian oriented...

Forget the Classics, for example...In "literature" they studied every weird Lesbian author from day one to now....She said the last she remembers was titled "Bastard out of Carolina."

Maybe there will be a turnaround down the road somewhere.

N.D.'s problem began when they turned the school over to a lay board many years ago in an effort to expand recognition and for greater funding....Very sorry move as they really lost the character that was unique to that particular University.Its still a great school but sadly lacking in many areas once without peer.

[mjk19]

I am an alum of Tufts University, Class of 1990. Tufts University is a pretty liberal campus. If one would give a score of 10 for craziness to Berkeley, Tufts is around a 6 to 7 at least when I was there. Although this incident at the cannon is something new. When I was there, the GOP Club painted the Cannon on election night of 1988 for Bush, Sr and it stayed there for a few days. I was on the staff of the conservative newspaper, Primary Source and there was never an incident of the paper being stolen. There were a few liberal crazies but most of the students just went about their business. Although there was an incident of a gay student faking an attack, and the administration tried to impose a speech code but that was shot down by the President. I remember a few times some crazy liberal would do a show in the cafeteria protesting coffee from El Salvador or something but this occurred a few times a semester. I enjoyed going to Tufts and despite being liberal Boston is a great city. Although from what I have been seeing in the past year Tufts has been going more toward Berkeley.

[gatorman]

. . . Then one night, three campus radicals assaulted Sam because he displayed the American flag . . .

I would like to take this opportunity to cordially invite any Tufts University students who may wish to accept this offer . . . to partake in an opportunity to exercise their Constitutional Rights by visiting the grounds of our American Legion Post 16, here, in Gainesville, Florida, to gingerly enscribe the words "violence has no peace" on our stars and stripes.

I believe I can speak for the whole of our membership . . . by extending this invitation. And, I can also assure you that the Tufts students who take us up on this offer will be treated with the utmost of warmth and hospitality that only veterans would know how to offer.

Do leftist liberals really wear underwear four sizes too small to stay in a bad mood? ? ?

Lock and Load . . . Free Fire Zone Ahead!

[Right_Makes_Might]

Tufts is located close to all the other "enlightened" schools in Massachusetts. Boston specifically. Glad I'm an Aggie! TAF

[muawiyah]

Not only "unlawful restraint" but maybe kidnapping!

Ashcroft needs one of these.

[Right_Makes_Might]

Gig 'Em! Class of '01. TAF

[ChiMark]

This revolution began in the 60's when college administrators gave into the radical left. The conservative unions of these colleges felt obliged to present opposing views. The problem is that the left never wanted free speech for anyone. Now the left is entrenched like cancer. Very few campi allow consevative professors. So face it. Were going to have another generation of leftist occupying our schools, industry, media,white collar jobs. The left trounces the right because the left plays to win all the time.

[rmvh]

Re your #35

I don't follow ND football that closely.

Coaches come and go as the demands of the Alumni, particularly the old subway alumni, are fierce and winning is in the blood.

Coach Holtz did a fine job and he left more or less "on top".....what will come in the future is what makes college football so interesting to many. I read the alumni stuff from time to time and everyone seems to have a different theory about the current team (and particularly the coach's) capability....I really don't have any theory on this subject so I can only wish you a pleasant day.

[Right_Makes_Might]

I'm an Aggie as well, and I can vouch for the school's conservative leanings. Let me throw out the disclaimer that a school is only as conservative as its students. A&M is filled with snivelling liberal professors just like any other school. Difference is that the student body is smart enough to see through the dogma and reason for themselves. Another conservative school I've been privileged to attend is Brigham Young University. A religious school whose clergy has stuck to what is virtuous and right instead of what is politically correct and perverse. Who says you can't get a good education these days??? TAF

[Moleman]

Thank you- enjoy your weekend