Barb, it seems education doesn't work (at least for smoking). Here's an interesting piece of irony from Larry Elder.
townhall.com
Larry Elder September 28, 2000
The politically incorrect professor
Is political correctness a "hate crime"? The federal government defines
hate crimes as "crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on race,
religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity, including where appropriate the
crimes of murder, non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, aggravated
assault, simple assault, intimidation, arson, and destruction, damage or
vandalism of property." Consider the case of Dr. Richard Zeller, formerly
a professor of sociology at Bowling Green State University in Bowling
Green, Ohio. After 25 years of teaching at the school, Dr. Zeller retired
in protest. Why? He wanted to teach a course on political correctness.
From talking to students, Zeller learned that many felt pressured to adopt
politically correct views in order to get a passing grade. One student
told Zeller that, in order to get a good grade, a professor virtually
forced the student to agree that all whites are racist. Another student
said that he felt pressured to adopt a "pro-choice" position on abortion,
even though he considered himself staunchly pro-life.
Professor Zeller got an idea. What about a course on political
correctness, on the tyranny within academia that forces students to conform
to a prescribed set of views?
Zeller put together a proposed course curriculum. He included books like
"Illiberal Education" by Dinesh D'Souza; "The Bell Curve" by R. Herrnstein
and C. Murray; "Two Steps Ahead of the Thought Police" by J. Leo; "Inside
American Education" by Thomas Sowell; "A Nation of Victims" by C. Sykes;
and "Civil Wrongs: What Went Wrong With Affirmative Action" by S. Yates.
But Zeller's sociology colleagues said "no" to the course. Zeller
protested, and ultimately the sociology department voted on whether or not
he could teach the course.
Zeller lost 9-5.
Zeller then attempted to teach the course in other departments, but no
other department granted approval for the course. So much for academic
freedom, for diversity of thought.
Not only that, Zeller found friends few and far between.
For example, one newspaper quoted BGSU's Dr. Kathleen Dixon, the Director
of Women's Studies, who said of Zeller's attempted course, "We forbid any
course that says we restrict free speech!" We forbid any course that says
we restrict free speech?!
A BGSU ethnic studies professor said that Zeller's attitude would help
students " ... feel good about the ruling paradigm, which since the
inception of the United States, has said that genocide is good, racism is
better, and exploitation of the women and poor is the best way to go."
Gee, poor Zeller thought he was simply teaching a course on political
correctness.
How about professor Gary Lee, the BGSU Sociology Department Chairman, who
said, "Unfortunately, tenure protects the incompetent and malicious; Rich
has tenure, so he cannot be fired without cause." Fired? For wanting to
teach a course in political correctness? For good measure, Zeller also
received death threats, and someone wrote "Zeller you die" on sanitary
napkins left on the professor's front porch at home.
Weary of the battle, Dr. Zeller offered his resignation. In a letter to
the school, Zeller expressed his frustration and anger. He directs his
concern, said the professor, not at himself, but at the students deprived
of an education that challenges assumptions and questions the status quo.
Zeller said, "But don't cry for me. I'm doing just fine, thank you. Cry
out, instead, for the students who regularly get intellectually mugged on
the BGSU campus"; "the traditionalist who believes that marriage is between
a man and a woman, but can't say so for fear of failing"; "the conservative
who believes in minimizing government interference in our lives and says so
in a sociology class"; "the woman who believes that abortion is murder, but
must write a pro-choice essay to pass English
111"; and "all of those who have 'adjusted' and 'self-censored' their ideas
so that they can pass their classes."
Zeller also said, "BGSU has sold its soul to the thought police of
political correctness.
There was a time that ... honorable people could disagree honorably; now,
any challenge to the campus sacred cows (feminism, affirmative action, and
multiculturalism) is denounced as evil."
About Zeller's travails, the Christian Science Monitor's Sanford Pinsker
said, "Amid all the self-congratulatory talk about diversity one hears on
American campuses, it is not at all clear that intellectual diversity is
alive and well. If the result of Zeller's pressing for a course that might
expose students to controversial thinkers and books had been an honest
debate -- rather than an exercise in character assassination -- all of us
might well have benefited. As it stands, however, everyone at BGSU has
lost."
Or, as BGSU's Women's Studies Director might have put it, BGSU prevents any
discussion about any topic that suggests we prevent any discussion about
any topic.
Got that?
©2000 Creators Syndicate, Inc. |
