A reader at Emory University in Atlanta writes with news that the campus is freaking out because someone wrote “TRUMP 2016″ on the sidewalk there, and put other pro-Trump graffiti around campus. New York magazine’s Jesse Singal writes:
The article gives no indication the chalkings were themselves racist or otherwise offensive, other than that they expressed support for a gross political candidate, though one did read “Accept the Inevitable: Trump 2016.”
A group of activists responded on Monday not by laughing at how any of their students could be dumb enough to support a tiny-handed buffoon, or chalking their own anti-Trump messages, but by going nuclear — at least by college-student standards: They immediately started protesting the Emory administration and, eventually, confronted the president himself for failing to act against the the brutal overnight mass-chalking.
The mewling children confronted Jim Wagner, Emory’s president, in the administration boardroom and, after talking about their feelings, lit into him. From the Emory student newspaper’s account:
University President James W. Wagner, who had been standing just inside the threshold of the door, had been called into the board room by students and listened at the head of the table while they described how the appearance of the chalkings made them feel. He addressed several questions throughout the time in the board room, including “Why did the swastikas [on the AEPi house in Fall 2014] receive a quick response while these chalkings did not?” to which Wagner replied that they “represented an outside threat” and clarified that it was a second set of swastikas that received a swift response from the University. “What do we have to do for you to listen to us?” students asked Wagner directly, to which he asked, “What actions should I take?” One student asked if Emory would send out a University-wide email to “decry the support for this fascist, racist candidate” to which Wagner replied, “No, we will not.” One student clarified that “the University doesn’t have to say they don’t support Trump, but just to acknowledge that there are students on this campus who feel this way about what’s happening … to acknowledge all of us here.”
Naturally, they also demanded greater “diversity” in the faculty and “higher positions” at the university.
I would like to report that Jim Wagner, an actual adult who leads a real university, stood up to this mob, told them to grow the freak up, learn to respect free speech, and to get the hell out of his office and back to class. Wouldn’t that be nice? Nope, he caved. They always do. Gutless, spineless, useless cowards that they are. And get this: Emory says it’s going to use security cameras to try to identify the chalkers, and, if possible, punish them. Jesse Singal writes:
A college using using security-camera footage to track down and possibly punish students who expressed political speech? The only way to fairly describe that is, well, the only way to fairly describe the spectacle of a Trump rally delivered to a deliriously cheering crowd: extremely creepy, and a sign that something has gone seriously wrong.
Indeed. Later, the Student Government sent out a letter campus-wide (full text below), saying that it’s their policy not to endorse particular candidates or political positions, and “committed to an environment where the open expression of ideas and open, vigorous debate and speech are valued, promoted, and encouraged,” per official university policy. That said, OMG, Trump! Some of our students feel unsafe because there are Trump supporters on campus, and triggered by the words, “Trump 2016″!
The Student Government at Emory University — I remind you, an actual college — is providing “emergency funds” to pay for any SJW encounter group to get together to talk about how they are all traumatized and emotionally incapacitated by anonymous persons expressing support for a candidate for President of the United States. I’m not making this up. Read the letter below.
But first, this comment by the reader who sent me the information about this appalling incident:
So [for the SJWs], there is no legitimate reason why one might publicly express support for Trump, even in jest, even in response to (or in order to provoke) precisely this kind of priggish, self-righteous pathologization of dissent from SJW orthodoxy.
I largely share your opinion of Trump, the man is a clown and possibly a dangerous one. Not in the Hitler/Mussolini sense–that’s ridiculous–more in the George W. Bush way of being completely out of his depth. At the same time, he is literally the only person in either party right now who is willing to tell these people where to shove it. That doesn’t mean that I trust he wouldn’t immediately cave to the SJW cadres in corporate America… but on the other hand, I know with 100% certainty that Hillary will be right there at the forefront, leading the charge. So it goes with just about everything.
So I don’t know. I find myself a lot more ambivalent about Trump than you seem to be.
I told the reader that it takes everything in me to remind myself that just because Trump makes these idiots lose their mind does not make Trump a safe bet to run the most powerful nation on earth. But the reader is right: it is breathtaking that this kind of thing happens over and over and over again on university campuses, and not a single leader except Donald Trump dares to confront the issue of liberal student mobs trampling the principle of free speech and free expression. What a scandal!
Last night, on a different post, a reader invited me to consider what the country would be like if Trump loses and the SJWs feel that they had a hand in that. It is by no means unreasonable to consider what a Hillary Clinton administration would do both concretely and in terms of setting the tone for toleration of free speech in this country. I think it would get worse than it is now. That concern cannot be easily dismissed. Very few liberals ever stand up to the SJWs when confronted by their insane intolerance. I’m telling you, in the same way that normal Republicans rarely if ever said anything to the right-wing nuts who demonized any opposition (Marxists! RINOs!), because it suited their purposes to keep the fire stoked up on their side, and now the fire is consuming them — the same thing is going to happen to the liberals. I can easily see why people on the right who may not like Trump are tempted to vote for him because he’s the only one who doesn’t give a rip what they think, and will say so. That is his best quality, according to me.
Here’s the letter from the Emory Student Government to the inmates at an asylum where you pay $45,700 yearly in tuition and fees to be coddled by administrators who allow themselves to be bullied by petulant children who weaponize petty grievances:
Yesterday, students awoke to find the statements, “Accept the inevitable, Trump 2016”, “ Vote Trump 2016”, “Build the Wall” among others displayed prominently on property and public buildings in and around central campus.
First, as student advocates and population-wide representatives, we do not endorse any particular candidate or any political philosophy, as to do so would be to overstep the authority of our offices and to abuse the public trust placed in us. As we are the principal organizations tasked with advocating for concerned members of the community, we remain “committed to an environment where the open expression of ideas and open, vigorous debate and speech are valued, promoted, and encouraged” pursuant to our University’s Open Expression Policy.
That being said, by nature of the fact that for a significant portion of our student population, the messages represent particularly bigoted opinions, policies, and rhetoric directed at populations represented at Emory University, we would like to express our concern regarding the values espoused by the messages displayed, and our sympathy for the pain experienced by members of our community.
We remain unapologetically dedicated to inclusion, diversity, and equity, but even more so, we remain unwavering in the premium we place on the safety, physical and emotional, of the students we represent. Any language that has to do with a person’s identity that creates an unsafe or unproductive educational environment directly undermines the respect for one another that time and time again we as a community have rallied behind. This display endorses such language, and having served to divide us as a community, runs antithetical to this principle of respect.
Let this not undo the important work that has begun this year or undermine efforts of this institution to better itself nor the important dialogues that have begun as a result of the Racial Justice Retreat. Let this serve only as a reminder of why such work is so important. Should we use this as an opportunity to come closer together instead of moving further apart, we will finally be choosing action over words and taking measurable steps toward true community.
It is clear to us that these statements are triggering for many of you. As a result, both College Council and the Student Government Association pledge to stand in solidarity with those communities who feel threatened by this incident and to help navigate the student body through it and the environment of distrust and unease it has created.
To that end, Emergency Funds within the College Council monetary policy were created to provide time-sensitive funds during circumstances involving discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and such funds are available to any student organization looking to sponsor events in response to this incident. Additionally, we are personally available to discuss how we can make Emory a more supportive environment for you. We are holding open office hours this week during the following times:
Thursday 3:30 – 5:00 PM (College Council Office in Eagles Landing)
Thursday 10:00 – 11:00 AM (SGA Office in Eagles Landing
>We address you, our classmates, to reaffirm the commitment of both College Council and the Student Government Association to fostering a community that stands against violence, prejudice, and hate. A community that promotes safety, respect, thoughtful dialogue, and sustained social change. As representatives of this community, we hear you, we see you, and we stand with you.
Should you find that you have comments, questions, concerns, or a desire to talk through this incident or the way in which it has affected you, please feel free to reach out to any of us.
Sincerely,
-The 60th College Council
-Max Zoberman; 50th Student Government Association President
-Gurbani Singh; 50th Student Government Association Executive Vice President