With all that’s been written lately about liberal bias and intimidation conservative students encounter at some of our nation’s college campii, I offer this blast from the past that was published September 9, 2002….
Patriotism @ Berkeley: Examples
With the anniversary of 9/11, the University of California, Berkeley will conduct a “Remembrance Day” consciously sanitized of all things patriotic and religious. In “honor” of the victims and heroes of the World Trade Center attacks, there will be no singing of the national anthem, and no recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance because of its mention of God.
“We thought that may be just too political, too patriotic,” said Hazel Wong, chief organizer for the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC).
“We didn’t want anything too centered on nationalism; anything that is ‘Go USA.'”
Yeah, wouldn’t that just suck?
Wong doesn’t want anything political “disrupting mourning and grieving”. White ribbons will replace the red, white and blue.
Man, can you imagine the cow liberals would have if they found a conservative group giving out all white anything? And although liberals find a racial component in almost everything they touch, this “white ribbon” could never be read any other way than what they portray it as, right?
Jessica Quindel, the president of the Graduate Assembly said the day is about politics. She finds problems not only with the WTC attacks, but President Bush’s military response. “We are trying to stay away from supporting Bush. We don’t want to isolate people on this campus who disagree with the reaction to Sept. 11.”
So screw those who agree with the President, right? Tolerance….
Quindel, who reportedly admits she hates the American Flag, the federal government, and the “Star Spangled Banner,” insists that she is patriotic. “It depends on your definition of patriotism. Everyone has a different definition,” she said. That good ol’ liberal “gray area” again.
Okay. Do you think this girl harbored these opinions the day she first left home for college? Do you think this child reasoned all by herself, or was she subjected to sanctimonious liberal professors who required blind agreement in classroom participation and homework? Is Jessica a brainwashed little girl who will most probably regret and be embarrassed by her statements once she has time to reflect on them independent of her liberal academic influence?
She continues, “Patriotic songs may exclude and offend people, because there are so many people who don’t agree with the songs. God Bless America is very exclusive because it mentions God.” The organizers have seen to it no patriotic songs will be sung. There will be no salute to the flag since “the flag has become a symbol of U.S. aggression towards other countries. It seems hostile”.
Patriotism @ Berkeley: Commentary
The beauty of America is that these people at Berkeley can do and say anything they want, for the most part.
What bugs me are all these academics assuring us that college is a true celebration of all points of view and the active search for all opinions. Hazel Wong and Jessica Quindel clearly debunk that assertion. They think they are being more inclusive while in reality, are being quite divisive.
When the vast majority of professors and administrators are registered Democrats and are encouraged to “share” their point of view with their captive, impressionable students, I only have a problem when these are the same people who preach tolerance to all of us. Ask any college Republican who tries to make a point in either voice or print. They are routinely censored, shouted down, targeted for retribution, and sometimes threatened with violence.
To be consistent, I would also have a problem with a college that was too far to the right. Once the kids get out of school, they can hang out with whomever they like, but while in school I’d like them to experience all points of view and have access to materials so they can do the research and reach their own conclusions.
But some students know they will be flunked on the first day they don’t agree with their professor that Al Gore was the superior candidate robbed by a Bush family-Republican coup d’etat. Students are taught that they should make all people feel welcome, unless they are one of those evil, mean-spirited Republicans. And if you agree with anything they assert, you too are misinformed, brainwashed, and no longer welcome.
Don’t get me wrong.
I’ve met and heard intolerant conservatives, and for the most part, they are intellectually honest and do not rename or attempt to disguise their positions. However, liberals claim to be the guardians of open-mindedness and that is the furthest from the truth. Liberals, or is it progressives…?
Remember the student-led class at Berkeley, “The Politics and Poetics of Palestinian Resistance”? The course description ended with “Conservative thinkers are encouraged to seek other sections.” After this story made national news, the course’s professor withdrew his intended warning.
What do you think would happen if a conservative instructor said liberals need not apply?
University of Pennsylvania history professor Alan Charles Kors notes that “for every professor in trouble for criticizing U.S. policy from the left, there were five or 10 students in hot water for supporting the war on terrorism”.
UC Berkley students introduced a bill saying their college “… remains one of the few places in the world where a thoughtful, critical exchange can occur from people across a spectrum of backgrounds and races, without fear of reprisal or hatred.”
The problem is they actually believe this tripe. They claim not to wish to suppress varied ideas, but it was their mission to end any speech that they deem racist, sexist, homo or xenophobic, or violent.
According to the column ‘One-party campuses’, by Ellen Sorokin of The Washington Times,
· At the University of Maryland, of the 69 professors whose political affiliations were located, 59 were registered as Democrats and 10 as Republicans. Out of a sample of 37 sociology professors, 34 were Democrats. Of 20 political science professors, 17 were Democrats. Of 12 economics professors, eight were Democrats.
· At the University of Colorado at Boulder, 116 of the professors whose party registrations could be established were Democrats and five were Republicans. Out of a sample of 37 professors who teach English, none were Republicans. Out of a sample of 29 history professors, one was Republican. Out of 19 political science professors, two were Republican.
· At Brown University, 54 professors whose political affiliations showed up in primary registrations last year were Democrats, compared with three Republicans. Out of 10 English professors, none was Republican. Of 17 history professors, none was Republican. Out of seven political science professors, none was Republican. Of eight sociology professors, none was Republican. Out of six economics professors, one was Republican. Of nine engineering professors, two were Republican.
· At Harvard University, of the 52 professors whose affiliations were found, 50 were registered Democrats and two were Republicans. Of 15 sociology professors, none was Republicans. Out of 16 economics professors, one was Republican. Of 21 political science professors, one was Republican.
· At Penn State University, 59 professors from the arts and sciences department were registered Democrats and 10 were Republicans. Out of 37 sociology professors, 34 were Democrats. Of 20 political science professors, 17 were Democrats. Out of 12 economics professors, eight were Democrats.
· At the University of California at Santa Barbara, a sample of 72 arts and sciences professors were registered Democrats and one was Republican. Out of 29 history professors, one was Republican. Of 21 English professors, none was Republican. Out of 29 history professors, one was Republican. Of 13 political science professors, none was Republican, and out of eight journalism professors, none was Republican.
· At the University of Texas at Austin, of the 109 professors whose political affiliations were found, 94 were Democrats and 15 were Republicans. Out of six philosophy professors, one was Republican. Of 19 political science professors, 15 were Democrats. Out of 14 history professors, two were Republicans. Out of 42 English professors, 35 were Democrats.
For all of us who’ve ever complained about a “liberal bias”, I think this proves my point.
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