Academia, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Society

California Professor Faces Possible Assault Charges After Stealing Sign From Pro-Life Protesters On Campus

milleryoungincident2 We have recently discussed a number of incidents of professors acting badly in shouting down student protesters or journalists on campus. (here and here and here). This has include prior attacks on pro-life demonstrators. Now a teenage pro-life demonstrators has accused a University of California (Santa Barbar) professor of taking her sign and assaulting her on campus. Thrin Short, 16, and her sister Joan, 21, have posted a videotape of Feminist Studies Associate Professor Mireille Miller-Young walking away with their sign and getting into a confrontation with the teenagers.


thrinshortmilleryoungThe Shorts were handing out pro-life pamphlets when they say Miller-Young confronted them and became irate over their demonstration. They videotaped her after she appeared to organize students in yelling “take down the sign.” They say that she grabbed the sign and walked off–ignoring the protests of the teenagers. Campus police were called and Short says that she was pushed by Miller-Young three times — leaving bruises on her wrists — at an elevator confrontation.

On the video below, Miller-Young is seen taking the sign with graphic images and saying “I may be a thief but you are a terrorist.” At the elevator, she can be seen shoving the teenagers and blocking them. The fact (as noted by her students) that the teenagers do not go to the school is no excuse for this type of conduct. If there was some real violation in the protests (which seems dubious), Miller-Young has no authority to quash the speech. This appears a clear content-based act by Miller-Young. It is even more disturbing to see her encouraging her students to silence opposing views by stealing a sign. It is the very antithesis of the academic mission which is based first and foremost on free speech and association — and civility.

Miller-Young lists her areas as “Pornography; Sex Work; Black Film, Popular Culture and Art; Feminist & Queer Theory; African American & African Diaspora Studies; Visual Archives; New Media; Ethnography; Oral History.” Her bio states that she focuses on pornography and African-American women.

According to reports, Miller-Young has retained an attorney. Catherine Swysen of law firm Sanger Swysen & Dunkle (Notably, Swysen draws not only from her considerable legal experience but experience as a former teacher in the University of California system). She is making no comment but a student her Women of Color class, insisted that she was write to do what she did because “She’s pregnant, so she’s very sensitive to horrifying images like that.” It is very distressful to see a student supporting anti-free speech conduct, a concern expressed recently with regard to French students in suing Twitter.

She could face assault charges based on the videotape. My greatest concern is with her conduct as a faculty member. There are few violations as serious by an academic than attacking free speech or violently trying to stop the expression of viewpoints. Her actions are clearly incompatible with the position of a faculty member. The question is whether the university will act to remove her from the faculty based on this videotape. Putting aside the criminal allegations (that should be left to the criminal justice system), there is the separate question of her judgment and conduct as an academic. The delay in issuing an apology is only going to reaffirm concerns in the minds of some faculty. I fail to see a viable defense for this conduct. Once again, regardless of the status of these teenagers or the disturbing images of the protests, this was an act of free speech. If there is a prohibition on such displays (which would itself raise free speech issues), this was not how academics address controversial speech. If Miller-Young had a legal concern, she can call the police — not lead students in stealing signs and trying to silence their speech.

The faculty code states that faculty “accept the obligation to exercise critical self-discipline and judgment in using, extending, and transmitting knowledge.” This includes a prohibition on “any exploitation, harassment, or discriminatory treatment of students.” Misconduct includes:

1. Intentional disruption of functions or activities sponsored or authorized by the University.
2. Incitement of others to disobey University rules when such incitement constitutes a clear and present danger that violence or abuse against persons or property will occur or that the University’s central functions will be significantly impaired.

The admission on the tape that she has stolen the sign will not help in any university investigation. Regardless of any claim of provocation by Miller-Young, the means chosen by the professor is clearly unacceptable and inimical to the academic mission. To call people with opposing views “terrorists” is a shocking view for an intellectual. To enlist students in an act of censorship only magnifies that violation.

What do you think should be the proper discipline (if any) for Miller-Young?

197 thoughts on “California Professor Faces Possible Assault Charges After Stealing Sign From Pro-Life Protesters On Campus”

    1. Personally, I am surrounded by strong intelligent women, they are my type. However, I find Els post to be sexist and ageist. Charlton, you should have at least found it ageist.

  4. Els DL

    I understand how frustrating this is for you to read what you have. Know that there are many who read the blog who do not necessarily post comments yet read them.

    We enjoy reading your comments and I hope you can contribute. I am certain that for those who are objectionable, there are undoubtedly many more who benefit from your views on things.

    Darren

  5. I find the professors’ actions in regards to the women exercising their free speech rights deplorable. I find some of the comments on here increasingly deplorable as well. I get the distinct impression that this blog has been taken over, purposefully, by a group of mean-spirited, mostly older men with a penchant for self-righteousness, especially when it comes to strong, intelligent and liberal women. Grow up or is too late?

    2. Els DL wrote: ” I get the distinct impression that this blog has been taken over, purposefully, by a group of mean-spirited, mostly older men with a penchant for self-righteousness, especially when it comes to strong, intelligent and liberal women.”

      Els DL, a few of the mean-spirited older men have stopped posting here in recent times. You should have seen what it was like back then. Personal defense was the name of the game. One had to don a rain coat to guard against flying spit and pick up a hefty shield to enter the game. In more recent times, the blog has greatly improved. I think postings from strong, intelligent and liberal women like Elaine has actually increased. In my opinion, the overall quality of civil discourse definitely has increased in that posters are less personal and focused more on the topics at hand.

  6. The simple comment concerning the professors’ alleged illegal activities (alleged only in the fact that they have not yet been proven, legally, in a court of law) should focus on her employment contract with the UC system. If there is any clause in that contract that enables the UC system to terminate her employment upon conviction in a court of law, for any level of felony, then she should be immediately terminated!

    Perhaps then she could obtain employment in the industry that a) she understands definitively, and b) she is emotionally attached thereto, namely as a participant in the black porn industry as a participant! However, given her size and appearance, I would assume that (assuming it is heterosexual audience oriented) whatever money she receives from so “performing” with a male on film/ccTV/video/etc. she would have to pay that money to the male to perform on her!

    1. Elaine M., Charlton and Darren are all blogging this weekend. Are you a weekend blogger?

  9. Dagda,

    Trolls come in many forms… Some use real names…. It seems to me that Someone is trying to run off the last of the guest bloggers….. If nick ever gets that rank I am done here…. And will ask that all of my postings be removed…. Deleted… Or whatever….

    1. anonymously yours,

      There appears to be a lot of guest bloggers on this site this weekend.

    1. Tired – happy that you admitted to being a troll. Although you quick admission has taken all the fun out of it.

  12. Nick,

    Is it your intention to attack each and every guest blogger until you get asked to leave because the host has figured out that you are trying to control whom post what and under what circumstances.

    This used to be a place that was fun to be a part of, now, as soon as you see Nick, you know he’s going to praise those he agrees with, gloat on his life experiences and/or attack a guest blogger.

  13. You get people to tell the truth by manipulating them psychologically and intellectually. You get to understand how they think, feel, etc. There are many nuances but generally, making them think they’re in charge and playing into their ego is the best way. I am MUCH better @ getting the truth out of men than women. I would have my female investigator interview women, she did much better than I. I do it here, but this venue is VERY tough. It takes time and patience.

  14. Smith said:

    “If you only knew some of the things that are said to gain the trust of some of these disturbed individuals you would be shocked. But sometimes it is necessary ocasionally to bring them in and have them implicate themselves.:

    How about an example or two of what is said? I want to be shocked.

    Betrayal is a lot of what leads to disturbing someone. How does additional betrayal in the interrogation room prevent exasperating an already serious medical condition, much less further the goal of the judicial system? I mean, if a suspect has a broken leg, it is perfectly justifiable to break the other one just so he implicates himself?

    I swear, in this day and age, the behavior of institutions, more so with government, is far worse than your average felon’s.

  15. torture might work a few percentages of the time but mostly people will say anything just to get out from the pain. It is generally unreliable for strategic purposes.

    I can tell you all from personal experience the TV version of obtaining information/confessions by being mean to people and beating them up is just Hollywood storytelling. There are often times where you have to lean on people and be stern with them but slapping them around doesn’t work. Not to mention it is illegal and will be a guarantee of getting the case tossed. No real deteticives or deputies do this.

    Many people would not believe what you can sometimes get out of chumming up to someone during an interview. If you win the friendship or at least instilling in them the impression that you sympathize and agree with what they are saying, they often will sing like a canary. And then they are yours.

    If you only knew some of the things that are said to gain the trust of some of these disturbed individuals you would be shocked. But sometimes it is necessary ocasionally to bring them in and have them implicate themselves.

    1. Darren – is not just being mean to them, it is keeping at them for 24 hours or more, lying to them. The slapping them around is old school. Or beating them. New school is lying to them. Psychological torture. I watch a fair amount of reality TV where they replay the interview with the defendant. After watching them I am asking for an attorney regardless.

    1. Carlton – you are presupposing that the woman is in psychological pain. If she is, shouldn’t she be in dire need of counseling. If not, you are over stating your case and it should not make any difference. BTW, the counseling given by Planned Parenthood is politically and financially driven. We know that from the hidden camera videos over the last couple of years.

      annie, Goddess of the Cult of Nursing. I could see that.

  19. Stanley said:
    “Forcing some sort of bogus politically or religious driven “counseling” on an unwilling woman already in psychological pain is unconscionable.”

    Anyone with reasonable intelligence could make the argument that any professional calling is a cult, complete with lord-worship. In this way, how is your worship of your lord any different than your perception of one’s worship in church? How do you make the leap that only your lord-worship is valid for pregnant women?

    Where is it written that a pregnant woman must be unwilling or even in psychological pain? And if she is neither of these, then what? Write her off as a broodmare, a lost cause?

  20. Torture doesn’t work. Hanns Scharff knew that. Which is why the Luftwaffe officer was the best interrogator of WW2. He never tortured anyone. He threw beer bashes and took Allied aviator POWs up to do aerobatics in German warplanes to loosen their tongues. The only effective interrogations were those before the torturers got hold of the prisoners. That’s is when actionable intelligence ceased. The idea of interrogation is to get actionable intelligence, not punishment.

    Are you advocating waterboarding pregnant women? I don’t think that is a notion you could support, but it is what this is beginning to sound like.

    1. You are thinking like annie, now. I have no idea how the hell you got to water-boarding pregnant women. You are putting words in my mouth that are not there. Usually that is an annie or Elaine M. tactic.

      BTW, you missed the castle that the Allies used to put German command officers in and then bugged. Thinking they were alone and private, they gave up a lot of intelligence, none of it immediately actionable, but useful during the Nuremberg trials.

      However, if you think torture does not work why do you think people confess to crimes they did not commit? Torture is not always physical.

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