Comments on: Schlafly Honored, Hundreds Turn Away

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 18 May 2008 22:43:44 +0000

I never liked Mrs. Schafly’s brand of conservatism and at the same time the students responses were a bit childish but hey ,it was free speech on both sides. She wasn’t disrupted (unlike some other examples we’ve seen recently). Probably the most disappointing thing was that at an esteemed institution of higher learning no one was further enlightened in the situation. We all left firm and happy in our convictions.

By: Bill W

Bill W — Sun, 18 May 2008 12:53:16 +0000

Jeremy -

"The protesters were not "wet behind the ears" undergrads. Many of us receiving doctoral degrees and a large proportion of the faculty participated in the protest." - made me laugh out loud - as a graduate student of Wash U. myself (although seasoned by the real world for 15 years prior & 10 years since, newly minted grad students, doctoral students, and many of the faculty at Wash U. are about as "wet behind the ears" as they come. If your whole life has been academia - you have a warped view of reality.

I have no truck with Schlafly, for or against, but I find the actions of the students & faculty childish.

By: Redford

Redford — Sun, 18 May 2008 03:12:26 +0000

Correct the original article: Washington University in St. Louis

By: Orson Buggeigh

Orson Buggeigh — Sat, 17 May 2008 16:38:54 +0000

Correct, it wasn’t at the Ersatz Harvard on the Sound (aka U of Washington - which is in Seattle), but the behavior was comparable. The U of W is well known as a bastion of intellectual group-think where only the appropriate left of center views prevail these days. And I would say the behavior by the faculty and assembled graduate students at Washington U. was juvenile. Regardless of your politics, Schlafly’s accomplishments certainly warrant acknowledgment. She’s done as much as many to participate in the political process, and certainly as much or more than many of the people who receive these honorary degrees. Unfortunately, this point is lost on the small minded people who think that only the views they approve of should be recognized or have an airing in public.
Many academics are actually very unwilling to consider views or beliefs other than their own. I think Jeremy can look forward to a fine career with like minded people at Duke, Berkeley, and, yest Washington U.

By: Jason

Jason — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:16:36 +0000

Leftist ideological intolerance that includes grad students and faculty??? I’m shocked! Shocked!!!

By: sashal

sashal — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:14:34 +0000

Jeremy, it is not the first time Marc is wrong on almost everything

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Sat, 17 May 2008 14:40:09 +0000

Your commentary is wrong on several points:

1. The protest happened at Washington University in St. Louis, not Univ. of Washington.

2. The protesters were not "wet behind the ears" undergrads. Many of us receiving doctoral degrees and a large proportion of the faculty participated in the protest.

By: utsu

utsu — Sat, 17 May 2008 05:21:25 +0000

"If the students who disrespected Schlafly understood her writings and political activities, that would be one thing. But lacking that, their protest is simply a knee-jerk reaction and of no value whatever."

So, what, they should have waved around dissertations to her (already partially discredited) work in order to meet some vague standard? They feel that political activism of her kind hurts their country and is incompatible with reason and academic standards. I wouldn’t want my government to invite her to an official banquet.