We recently discussed the controversy surrounding a confrontation between Thrin Short, 16, and her sister Joan, 21, and Feminist Studies Associate Professor Mireille Miller-Young. Miller-Young was then charged with criminal conduct including Theft of Person; Battery; and Vandalism. While initially pleading not guilty, Miller-Young has now entered a no contest plea to charges to the three misdemeanors. Despite the videotape of the incident and violation of both criminal law and presumably university regulations, Miller-Young remains employed at the university.
Miller-Young will now be sentenced on August 14th, though jail time is unlikely.
The more pressing question is, now that she has admitted to criminal conduct in stopping free speech on campus, how will the university respond. I previously wrote a critical piece of the response by Michael D. Young, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs which seems to treat the pro-life demonstrators as the problem while encouraging faculty and students not to attack such “outsiders.”
The response from some faculty supporting Miller-Young and her actions has been itself alarming. Some 2000 faculty and students have signed a petition in support of Miller-Young while only 150 have signed a counter petition calling for her termination.
Students have clearly learned a lesson from Professor Miller-Young that free speech is only protected when we agree with the message. Consider the truly chilling view of UCSB sophomore Katherine Wehler, a theater and feminist studies major: “They are domestic terrorists, because the definition of a terrorist is someone who terrorizes.” Wehler added:
“I have a lot of feminist friends that went to them [pro-life protesters] with an educated academic response, because they were extremely triggered by these images, and the activists were saying this is for ‘women’s rights,’ . . . As feminist scholars and activists, we were insulted to hear that their cause is for women’s rights, because we felt personally attacked as women. Then, we were repeatedly called murderers. That is not okay. . . In my opinion, Professor Miller-Young would never attack anyone as the media suggests unless feeling an invasion of her own personal space like anyone else would in a fight or flight situation . . . If the university did decide to revoke her employment, there would be a large uproar because she is so celebrated.”
I cannot tell you how depressing it is to read a student who holds such views of free speech. Colleges and universities were once the very bastion for free speech. Faculty once instilled core values of pluralism and free expression in students. Wehler is a former student of Miller-Young, who appears to have had quite an influence on her understanding of free speech in our society.
Source: Independent
randyjet:
“It is even more troubling that she is viewed as being on the left, since her position is that on the extreme right.”
Sure, randyjet, labelling pro-life women as “terrorists” who are anti-woman puts her on the extreme right. It is enjoyable how conservatives are blamed for the misconduct of Liberals.
On this very blog I have been told I should leave the planet, I’m stupid, racist, and want poor kids to die, all because I voiced fiscally conservative opinions.
Karen, That comment was me channeling The Onion.
Nick – nice, that she has been nominated as a Civil Rights liaison.
Because the university view is the current Liberal view: that only their view is allowed. Anything else warrants a personal attack. Voice a non-Liberal opinion, and you may lose your job.
Sad, how intolerant the “party of tolerance” has become.
Anon, it is addicting.
“Students have clearly learned a lesson from Professor Miller-Young that free speech is only protected when we agree with the message.”
The students are merely reflecting what they have learned from the university, namely, that only sanctioned speech is free speech, and that if you disagree with someone, they have no right to their opinion.
There is great irony that a women’s studies professor suppressed the spoken opinions of a young woman by force, and tried to cow her. And she appears to have the full support of the university behind her.
What a lost teachable moment.
Nick, ha ha. Good for you.
Samantha-Great comment! Professor Turley’s willingness to hold both liberals and conservatives accountable is one of the primary reasons I read this blog.
Annie,
It’s clear that she and her supporters didn’t learn their lesson. They only learned not to get caught.
The ironic thing is the the pro-life demonstrators are taking a page from the left in their protest methods. Is holding sings that are in your face any different than burning a bra? Or a gay rights parade? Or a march across a bridge?
My biggest concern is this concept of “triggers”. While any kind of assault is a terrible thing, this idea that sticks and stones are not the only thing that can hurt you is extremely troubling. It was even mentioned by a student who is clearly learning these concepts from the wrong people. Images and words are something that we should be teaching kids to ignore when they don’t like them. Instead we seem to be laying the groundwork for banning offensive images and words that might make someone unhappy or uncomfortable. If they truly are triggering PTSD or similar that’s an issue for a therapist, not a legislator. What I fear is that we’re raising a generation of kids that are ill-equipped to handle the difficulties of life. If words or an image is triggering such a reaction that it is incapacitating, then the adults have failed in raising kids that will be able to survive what life throws at them.
That “old biddy” is probably your age Squeekers.
The Professor was wrong, she had no right to take the sign from the two girls protesting. Hope she learned her lesson.
Well, if you have something to say, you need to be brave enough to say it. While there are mean old harridans like this professor and they should be castigated, the conservatives need to fight back and quit being such weenies. We have a 1st Amendment, but whst good is it without the balls to use it??? And FWIW, I would have snatched that old biddy bald -headed if she had grabbed my sign like that.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Samantha, Great comment. I’m going to only eat fruit, nuts, and vegetables today in honor of you. However, I was working in Chicago this weekend and have a bag of Garret’s Chicago Mix popcorn in my kitchen. That may be a problem.
The thought of thought police returning is disturbing. But indeed that is where we have come to. It is so sad to hear people speak of free speech while attempting to squash divergent viewpoints in the same breath. Is this a pendulum that will swing the other way?
Posts, like this one, exemplify the author’s personal integrity, which is so increasingly rare today among our leaders, among anyone, really, when one finds it, it is cherished as much as a loved family member.
I find it remarkable when a liberal has courage to hold a liberal accountable, or a conservative holding a conservative accountable. Free passes have no place in a society that values integrity.
It’s a national tragedy that we do not have fairness in our media outlets. If we had separation of media and state, as with separation of church and state, it’s certain life would be far better for the 80 percent of the population who can no longer survive without some form of public assistance. The media, which once considered itself the Fourth Estate, protector of personal freedoms and civil rights, has devolved into an embarrassing booster club for government at every level, enabling corruption of police departments, school boards, municipalities, legislators, agencies at the county, state and federal level, and all three branches of the federal government. Even families are corrupt. What Squeeky had said, some time back, about getting in trouble at school, meant getting in trouble at home, too, is remarkable. Too many parents today would give their child a free pass, then sue the school board. Why? Because parents perceive the school board as corrupt because the media has never held board members accountable.
A lot of the partisan bickering in our nation probably has everything to do with the personal frustrations with corruption we experience in our lives at every level. And it all goes on the media. It’s a breath of fresh air in my life when this blog consistently holds feet to the fire, especially when those feet belong to a public official — liberal or conservative.
It seems that this woman has forgotten or never knew about the REAL free speech fights that we had to wage back in the 60s and 70s. There was not a golden period of free speech back then by the way. It had to be fought for at Berkeley and all over the USA. It is even more troubling that she is viewed as being on the left, since her position is that on the extreme right. She needs to be gone ASAP.
I have been concerned for decades about a tendency among some mind-sets to not just protest against a speaker, but to interfere with the ability of the speaker to speak. The actions directed at the protesters at UCSB is similar to people who try to prevent speakers from saying what they want to say. I’ve never understood why it is so difficult for some people to understand that a “heckler’s veto” is unacceptable in a free society. What happened at UCSB is a step beyond incessant heckling that prevents a speaker from speaking.
Standing up for speech that one hates is the true measure of commitment to the ideals on which this nation was founded. An academic institution should be a bulwark for free speech of all kinds.
Once the government chooses an epithet – Jew, Communist, racist, terrorist – it becomes the favored word used by society to marginalize/discount certain groups (or to justify abhorrent and illegal behavior).
The supporters of Ms. Miller-Young are attempting to justify their distasteful views by characterizing the victims as either deserving of illegal treatment or as the aggressors.
These actions are morally dishonest, but typical of behavior by fanatics of both the left and the right.
JT, That student was taught those “values.” And, she will go on to teach those abhorrent “values” to others. This is the educational industry. When I returned to college in 1999 I was appalled @ the controls on speech and intolerance of differing opinions. Liberals not only love, they demand echo chambers. People like this are the terrorists, not those kids merely offering a different viewpoint. This is a HUGE problem. If you care about it, make wwwthefire.org a favorite on your computer.
Is tenure really immunity?
Or is the issue degree of punishment?
on a related note, Michael Yaki, the aforementioned Pelosi appointment, has nominated this professor to be the Civil Right liaison for all California universities. Yaki stated, “This brave and intelligent woman has shown the tenacity and temperament to enforce the speech we deem appropriate and protected. She is the type person this country needs teaching our young people how to think and speak.”
Reblogged this on Centinel2012 and commented:
Turley is right to be worried — this is NOT GOOD! If not checked the entire school system from K through college will be nothing more than propaganda mills!