The controversy surrounding the resigned of University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe this week. Critics continue to debate whether Wolfe acted in a way that warranted demands for his removal while others view racial incidents on campus as the fault of the Administration. This is a worthy debate for any university. However, a recent incident should raise equally determined calls for the removal of school officials who appear to have led attacks on the media and free speech as part of student protests. Mass communications professor Melissa Click has since apologized for disgraceful conduct in attacking the media — a curious act by a mass communications professor and the antithesis of an academic committed to free speech.
A confrontation occurred as journalists, including students journalists, simply tried to cover the event. They were set upon by protesters threatening them and telling them to leave. Tim Tai, 20, is a senior at the university working on a freelance assignment for ESPN, went to the protesters’ tent encampment. Protesters insisted that he had no right to cover the event and chanted “Hey hey! Ho ho! Reporters have got to go!”
One school administrator, identified as Janna Basler, the school’s director of Greek life and leadership, is seen on the video confronting Tai. When he asks her name, Basler refused to identify herself — a problem for a school official on campus harassing a journalist. Instead, she say “I am Concerned Student 1950,” a reference to the name of the African-American group leading the protests.
Near the end of the video, another adult, identified as assistant professor of mass media Melissa Click, tells another reporter, “You need to get out.” She appears to call on other protesters to help force out the journalist. She is heard saying “Who wants to help me get this reporter out of here? I need some muscle over here.”
That is a disgrace and should have immediately raised calls for the review of both of these employees for discipline. What they were doing was joining voices of intolerance and abuse. They are the very antithesis of the mission of all academics.
Click has now apologized, stating “I regret the language and strategies I used, and sincerely apologize to the MU campus community, and journalists at large, for my behavior, and also for the way my actions have shifted attention away from the students’ campaign for justice.”
There is no word about Basler. The concern is the double standard at our universities. We have discussed that controversy at the University of California and Boston University, where there have been criticism of a double standard, even in the face of criminal conduct. Here you have a communications professor and an administrator seem encouraging protesters in denying a student the ability to work as a journalist on campus. Yet, there is no outcry and demands for review, let alone termination. There is a serious diminishment of free speech occurring on our campuses where a new orthodoxy is rising in the enforcement of preferred speech and positions. The intolerance shown opposing views threatens the very essence of our intellectual traditions and values. The video below vividly shows that trend.
Should be:
Where there is a greater goal involved. . .
Jude,
Have you no heart? Satan entered into Judas Iscariot. Then Judas committed suicide. Luke 22:3
Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains,
how he might betray him unto them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.
Satan doesn’t care about 1st amendment. He simply asks question, “who are you”.
Nick @8:57 am
How ironic that a university like Mizzou, which unapologetically and enthusiastically embraced, supported and lauded a man like Michael Sam, just a year ago–an openly gay, black, football player–is now being touted and portrayed as some cesspool of racism and intolerance in the Midwest. What a difference a year makes. It just proves, beyond a doubt, that this faux atmosphere of insipid racism doesn’t actually exist on this campus; it’s a ruse, where’s a greater goal involved–facts shouldn’t be allowed to get in the way of progress. If you want to make an omelette, you’re gonna have to crack some eggs. I just read in the local paper that one of the grievances, hurled by the mob and with which the president was associated, was that he remained too silent–too passive–on the whole Michael Brown issue in Ferguson, Missouri–some 110 or so miles away. He wasn’t, in this mob’s opinion, vocal enough, for its tastes. He didn’t sport a bandana over his face, march with a bullhorn, threaten cops, throw urine-filled bottles or torch any drugstores. A man with no convictions. A man absent a moral compass. Amazing.
For those of you who claim not to enjoy or appreciate the comments on these threads–alleging that they are somehow mean and hateful contributions–I find it curious as to why you continue to read these horrible viewpoints.
Exactly WHERE was the poop swastica placed? The purpose of the posting of the swastica was to call someone a nazi. It was very unlikely that the purpose was to promote the Nazi movement or way. The poop aspect would indicate that it was not a Nazi who posted it. Now, it could have been dog poop. It could have been cat poop. It is unlikely that a racist posted it. Someone might have posted it to fake a racist posting.
Jude said: “instead of discussing it in a logical way, the first posts jump right to “CRAZY LIBERALS” and the like”
Reread the thread. The first comment to resort to name-calling is an incomprehensible screed that refers to Tim Wolfe as a “jerk” and a “dork.”
Ann Lane, I’ve noticed the same, which is why I rarely comment anymore. The issue talked about in this post is troubling, but instead of discussing it in a logical way, the first posts jump right to “CRAZY LIBERALS” and the like and “SOCIAL JUSTICE WARRIORS”.
These people are not necessarily either of those things. They could be, but they could not be. But if they are SJWs, they’re doing a poor job since they restricted the 1st amendment rights of a racial minority in the video. And the most notable people that did it were administrators, both of whom were white.
Hats off to Tim Tai for standing up to this intimidation. He was the victim of at least two separate batteries clearly evident in the video. He wins my prize for journalism and should SUE.
No self respecting neo-Nazi or racist would make a poop swastika. That’s a holy symbol to them. That in itself smacks of phony mocked up incident.
Published on May 22, 2015
Just A Common Soldier, also known as A Soldier Died Today, is one of the most popular poems on the Internet. Written and published in 1987 by Canadian veteran and columnist A. Lawrence Vaincourt, it now appears in numerous anthologies, on thousands of websites and on July 4, 2008 it was carved into a marble monument at West Point, New York. This year marks the poem’s 25th anniversary.
Please enjoy this tribute to the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen who have given so much for our country.
https://youtu.be/eEs4ke7cdNQ
JUST A COMMON SOLDIER
(A Soldier Died Today)
by A. Lawrence Vaincourt
He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of the past.
Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one.
And tho’ sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,
All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.
But we’ll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away,
And the world’s a little poorer, for a soldier died today.
He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,
And the world won’t note his passing, though a soldier died today.
When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.
Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land
A guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his life?
A politician’s stipend and the style in which he lives
Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.
While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.
It’s so easy to forget them for it was so long ago,
That the old Bills of our Country went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.
Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,
Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and Country and would fight until the end?
He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier’s part
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.
If we cannot do him honor while he’s here to hear the praise,
Then at least let’s give him homage at the ending of his days.
Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,
Our Country is in mourning, for a soldier died today.
© 1987 A. Lawrence Vaincourt
Frank,
You are a breath of fresh air. Forgot, it’s Vets day. Not Crazy UM Professor Click day.
Let’s do some F-15 mach 1 loops with the 48th fighter wing.
Sorry to trespass on this posting, but today is VETERANS DAY and we all need to take a moment to honor these men and women, living and deceased.
I Fought for You (Emotional Tribute to Veterans)
https://youtu.be/tXtL9HSWetM
Thank You For Your Service (A Moment of Truth)
https://youtu.be/x2L3skZ7FEw
DBQ:
“They, the ivory tower academics and most of the MSM, are living in an echo chamber a bubble of liberalism, where they do not come into contact with diversity of thought or opposition of ideas. When they do, they are shocked…shocked and in disbelief that other people even exist.”
Great point. They have a Liberal bias in hiring policy.
Roy
Hell, for 500k, I’ll zip up a polyester track suit, blow a whistle and shout obscenities at players! Where do I sign up?
DBQ:
Even worse, “something nice” seems to mean “agree with me.”
Obviously anyone who supports free speech would criticize this trend on college campuses. If criticizing is now considered “not nice” then she is exhibit A in non-sanctioned free speech is not allowed.
In fact our laws were designed to protect upsetting speech for this exact reason. We do not need to be afraid that we will offend our government, or the local politician, with our criticism.
What many Liberals appear to be oblivious to is that they don’t say “something nice” when they disagree with the Right, or religion, or Bush, or anything else that is not sanctioned Leftist.
One way for thee, another for me.
We need a topic on Greeks. Not Greeks from Greece but Frats on campus in America. Is it not a violation of civil rights for state universities to subsidize bigoted all white or all black fraternities?
There are “journalists” who wish to cover, record, video and photograph the happenings at the meeting of the Curators of George Washington Law School. And the student union meeting to discuss strategy on dealing with First Amendment issues at that school. The same journalists wish to come to law school classes and completely cover them. The journalists think that what is said in those classes needs to be broadcast to the world.
Bam bam,
Crazy NYC subway White Lady may have gotten position in athletic department as head of football or basket ball team.
Salaries are around $500,000/year. If she can get points on scoreboard and win, then that’s what matters.
Why does this behavior usually not happen in private non-union industry? Because they would be instantly fired. So people control their behavior.
@ Karen
Also, because in private industry or the rest of the world, there is usually a diversity of opinions in the make up of the people surrounding you. Unlike the University or Academia where it is 99% progressive liberal thought, you need to be able to cope with and tolerate diverse opinions in the workplace and in the real world.
They, the ivory tower academics and most of the MSM, are living in an echo chamber a bubble of liberalism, where they do not come into contact with diversity of thought or opposition of ideas. When they do, they are shocked…shocked and in disbelief that other people even exist.
When you have to work side by side and get along with other people, rational adults will just agree to disagree. We have many extremely liberal friends, clients and family members who are so far left. We just make a pact to not argue about the things we disagree on and continue with other conversations. They are entitled to their opinions and we are entitled to ours. THIS is the difference between rational adults and the precious snowflake babies we are seeing on the campuses and elsewhere. No opinion other than theirs!!!! or else!!!!!!