Update: The fiasco at UNC-Chapel Hill
Several parents with kids at UN-Chapel Hill have e-mailed me their outrage over the appalling treatment of Tom Tancredo. Yesterday, the chancellor sent the following note to parents:
Dear Carolina Parents,
To keep you informed, we are forwarding a message from Chancellor Holden Thorp that was disbursed to the University community today.
Your Office on Campus,
New Student & Carolina Parent Programs
***
I want to express how disappointed I am in what happened last night when former Congressman Tom Tancredo wasn’t able to speak when a protest got out of hand, and our Department of Public Safety had to take action.
Congressman Tancredo felt threatened and left without making his remarks.
Mr. Tancredo was scheduled to speak about immigration. We expect protests about controversial subjects at Carolina. That’s part of our culture. But we also pride ourselves on being a place where all points of view can be expressed and heard. There’s a way to protest that respects free speech and allows people with opposing views to be heard.
Here that’s often meant that groups protesting a speaker have displayed signs or banners, silently expressing their opinions while the speaker had his or her say. That didn’t happen last night.
On behalf of our University community, I called Mr. Tancredo today to apologize for how he was treated. In addition, our Department of Public Safety is investigating this incident. They will pursue criminal charges if any are warranted. Our Division of Student Affairs is also investigating student involvement in the protest. If that investigation determines sufficient evidence, participating students could face Honor Court proceedings.
Carolina’s tradition of free speech is a fundamental part of what has made this place special for more than 200 years. Let’s recommit ourselves to that ideal.
Sincerely,
Holden Thorp
Is that it? How about an investigation of what faculty and staff knew in advance about the protesters’ plans to sabotage the event?
Reader K. e-mailed me yesterday:
Thank you for featuring the atrocious treatment of Tom Tancredo by UNC students. My daughter is an out of state student at UNC-Chapel Hill. She turned down acceptances at Ivy League schools to attend UNC-CH.
I am very disturbed by the fact that, according to editorial page activity in the Daily Tar Heel in the week prior to Tancredo’s visit, it is clear these left-wing student groups had been working diligently to inaccurately portray Tancredo, and his university student sponsors, as bigots, white supremacists and purveyors of hate speech. It was a classic ‘attack the messenger’ move made by those who KNEW they could not attack his message.
Tancredo was at UNC-Chapel Hill to question the proposed policy of awarding illegal immigrants in-state status for tuition purposes. He was there to point out the lack of fairness in a policy that would reward illegal immigrants for breaking our laws, while effectively punishing American citizens, who reside legally in other states, by assessing them out of state tuition. He was there to question the wisdom of encouraging criminal behavior by creating a set of rewards for that behavior. And he was there to remind us all, in this troubled economic environment, Americans can no longer carry on their backs non-citizens who do not pay taxes and who do not honor our laws.
Tancredo was not attempting to deliver a message of hate…but a lesson in economics and constitutional law….and fair play.
The university has failed its students by allowing these protestors to drown Tancredo’s voice and deny their fellow students the opportunity to learn. The adults (professors) who encouraged this suppression of free speech and quashed this learning experience should be wondering if they’ve lost sight of their legitimate purpose. And these student protestors need to get out their world history books and fill in the gaps of their public school education. Personally, I would suggest they start with the U.S. Constitution, and then take care not to omit the chapters that cover the many, many sad historical accounts of humans victimized by oppression and tyranny.
I’m very disappointed and embarrassed on behalf of UNC-Chapel Hill.
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Trackbacks
- Again, the left denies Free Speech « Vets On The Watch
- Not sure I get Tom Tancredo’s point… « Cowardly political musings…
- Free Speech for Terrorists, Liberals; Others Beware « Peace and Freedom Global Future
- Obama Attorney Threatens Distinguished Veteran on Obama Birth Certificate Issue:WHY? « Goodtimepolitics
- Violent Left Wing Extremists Shut Down Tancredo Speech at UNC | Fire Andrea Mitchell!
- MightyRighty.com - Conservative News, Discussion and Community
- Obama & Christ Can’t Share Stage: White House Asks Georgetown to Cover Up Jesus’ Monogram for President « Frugal Café Blog Zone
- Michelle Malkin » More speech-stiflers at UNC-Chapel Hill
- It’s about Time: Ave Maria University Commencement Speaker Rips Notre Dame for Having Obama as Speaker « Frugal Café Blog Zone
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Categories: Education
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Secular-”progressive” Leftists are the new Brownshirts of our generation. They are far beyond hypocrisy. It is tragic that colleges and universities routinely tolerate this kind of vile and delinquent behavior.
By the way Chancellor, it is clear that UNC-Chapel Hill has no tradition of free speech.
Sounds like the Brown Shirts won that night.
So much for the pluralism of the academe…
(Can I say Brown Shirt….???)
Enforcing Immigration Laws = Hate
How?????????????????????????????????
The only thing that any school will hear is dollar signs. When alumni start withholding donations, THEN they’ll start doing something.
Tolerant of everything except a dissenting opinion.
Sadly, this is all to common on college campuses these days. I hope that UNC-Chapel Hill is making plans to bring Tancredo back (if he will accept) to deliver his intended speech. This will go a long way in showing that what the chancellor says about freedom of speech at UNC-Chapel Hill is in fact true and these students have learned their lesson.
What’s the logic in treating legal residents of other states as second class citizens? If they want to offer illegals the in-state tuition rate, then why not eliminate the two-tier tuition system and just charge the same rate to everyone?
Stimulus II will probably include funding to establish the “United Illegal Alien College Fund”.
Wow! Not only do I agree with K’s point, but her letter was beautifully written.
Free speech, but only when we agree with it? It’s not like this is the first example of colleges being a scary place for conservatives to speak. When will we demand better treatment from these institutes of “higher” learning?
They haven’t learned a thing, and if that half-assed, backhanded ‘apology’ is any indication, these schools never will.
Money talks–bu!!sh!t walks….
Do they still teach the Constitution in American colleges?
Perhaps they (UNC) might wanty to consider relinquishing thier NCAA basketball title as a gesture of regret?
If I were an alumnus, and inclined to give money to my alma mater (which I am not), I would make sure they understood why I would no longer contribute.
Well written letter, I hope she forwarded the same letter to the Chancellor.
I would suggest that students wanting to attend any school out of state look into establishing residency in those states long before they arrive for their first classes. It’s done all the time and would slowly starve those schools to the point they have to adopt alternative measures. I’m not at all sure degrees from some of those schools are worth the aggrivation and added burden of paying them outrageous tuitions.
IOW, paralysis by analysis until everyone forgets, then we can just go on our merry way.
According to DHS, we are extremists for stating the law should either be followed or, changed. Failing to enforce ‘certain’ laws, is a cowardly way to end-run the legislative process.
UNC didn’t treat Tancredo any worse than Townhall’s Hugh Hewitt did last year on his radio show and at Townhall. Tancredo has been a favorite whipping boy for the RINOs.
We need to gel as conservatives, not as Republicans, and in order to do that, we have to stop targeting our comments against Dems only. We are up against the United Establishment Party joined by outstretched hands across a gauntlet the rest of us are forced to run while both pee on us.
Don’t count on it.
If the teaching theories and methods they develop for public elementary schools like mine are any indication, Chapel Hill is about as liberal as it gets!
Tre you are exactly right. The University of Nebraska Lincoln cancelled Ayers speaking engagment and said it was because of safety concerns, but in reality it was because of all of the donors that wrote and called expressing that the funds would stop if he spoke.
I think DHS would put any of that under the ‘Hate Speech’ category and perhaps even ‘extremist recruitment’….
Don’t you mean the “United Undocumented Students College Fund”?
Now I am not saying that UNC doesn’t lean liberal, and certainly what happened to Tancredo was abhorrent, but if you think UNC is “about as liberal as it gets” I highly suggest you take a tour of some small northeast liberal colleges, like Hampshire, Weslyan, Bard, Sarah Lawrence.
Does it require vaccinations, like when Congressional aides go to NASCAR events?
‘We have no tolerance for intolerance!’
/Sarc
The Left loves to use the old tale “The Tragedy of the Commons” to illustrate their basic value of “no growth or slow growth” so all can share “common space”.
It is part of a rhetorical ethic that is useful to them for pacifying their adversaries. Kind of like the “help us save this planet or the baby seal gets it.”
And now, the commons that is the academy has been taken over with the same rhetorical ethic “help us achieve social justice or academic freedom gets it.”
There is always another way. The days of parading ourselves in front of paid audiences on college campuses are numbered. Travel costs, the physical cost to the circuit speaker, the Muslim Student Association shock troops, the Leftist/DNC endorsed “student groups”…… all present costs that are too high and unnecessary for us to pay any longer.
And think of the ROI in terms of audience numbers. How many students and faculty would Mr. Tancredo have reached? These presentations are notoriously underattended. 300? 30? multiply it by 10 campuses….shamefully low returns.
There is a better way: set Mr. Tancredo up in a safe location studio environment presenting to a small group and livestream the presentation to 30 locations. Record it as well, and archive it on the web. Let the presentation go viral. Transcript it and have it published as an editorial in every college newspaper in America during the same month.
Live oratory is a wonderful experience. But as a political tool, too slow. Too inaccessible. Not enough impact. Here today and gone today.
The Left is using dinosaur fascist tactics to control dissenting opinions. Leave those to them. The myth is that the Right isnt net savvy.
The truth is that the Left is ham fisted in its use of the Net: mindless money contributions to the Soetoro machine, goon-like responses to turn out for a protest, and hacking sites.
The Right has an opportunity to grow a significant rather well funded counter-revolutionary movement against the Left wing government and its leader- Barry Soetoro.
The Left doesnt respect us. And that is its fatal flaw. Even in their impregnable position of being “in power” as they like to speak of themselves (this is a republic i thought, but they can dream).
The point is that we must multiply each one of ourselves by 10. And speakers like Mr. Tancredo, by 500. We cannot be everywhere in the flesh. But it is possible to go viral with this teaching and reaching of the underinformed.
We are a majority in the citizenry. And once we begin to show the rest the MATH of this disaster, we will crush the Left.
They do not realize that they are about to disappear because their philosophy and way of life has just run out of money.
The “Free” ride to freedom is over.
We can DO this.
Bear1909 out
Chapoutier: I agree 100 per cent. And while on tour in the northeast— check out Middlebury College, University of Vermont…a private and a state/federal land grant college (home of the American eugenics movement)…. two of the most liberal institutions ever.
Wherever “social science” is taught there is a nest of marxist/leninist/anarcho-communist faculty who get paid and hold tenure for teaching anti-USA principles.
SPOT ON PHIL!
UNC knew this event could turn confrontational, yet THEY CHOSE to take no steps to ensure order and civility.
No, this was not an unexpected turn of events that got out of hand. In the weeks preceding Tancredo’s visit was inflamed by campus papers and radio, and the faculty encouraged students to make themselves heard. Ask any conservative UNC student for confirmation.
The NC state officials should bring an immediate punitive response (target = funding), including a suspension from NCAA competitions, withdrawal of financial aid from students involved, and suspension of colluding faculty and staff, along with the resignation of the Chancellor. Anything less only condones the behaviors that occurred and sanctions future displays of immaturity and intolerance.
This is simply UNACCEPTABLE behavior, and a weak effort to express remorse (and certainly not sincere, heart-felt remorse).
“When alumni start withholding donations, THEN they’ll start doing something.”
Well said. And when the alumni write or call to let them know that, they shoud also demand that every student who was on that stage holding the banner be expelled from the school.
OK, I’ll rephrase it: For the South, Chapel Hill is about as liberal as it gets!
I realize there are other, more liberal institutions of higher learning in this country than Chapel Hill (UC Berkeley comes to mind), but nearly all of them are located well outside the South-proper.
Looks to me like Chancellor Thorp and whorealdo “the spiter” went to the same school of apology…How to make an apology look insincere & worthless.
Good suggestions, especially with the target of educating and reaching as many of those who are open to listening to other opinions and arguments. That said, I would argue that another valuable lesson to be learned is to be able to sit and listen with respect, to a live person express his views and then engage in a reasonable manner.
North Carolina… pffft. Fricking Yankee carpet baggers…
He was on F&F this morning calling Rick Perry a seditionist. Of all people calling names – expect nothing less.
flmom- word up.
we, the People, seldom remember that our educational system has taken over too much of the process of educating our future leaders.
anything we will attempt to do outside of that system will be portrayed as “brain washing” or “cultish”.
however, we must take back not only the spending decisionmaking in Washington DC and at the state and local levels— but the “excuses” for said spending.
spending on education shouldn’t be primarily for paying teacher retirements. rather, the work of teaching should involve modeling to the young how to build one’s own financial security responsibly–without unmerited entitlements for life.
thanks for reading.
Bear1909 out.
I don’t know…I hear CRAZY things about VMI.
Gerry Rivers is a sad excuse for a man. In the Big Tent Circus that is the Democratic Machine (it isnt a party any more), Gerry is that abhorrent little carney guy that most of them wish would go away until he ends up on camera talking smack and trying to take down a stalwart American.
Stubby lil Gerry. Get behind me.
The liberalism of any institution is rooted in the faculty and the Student Affairs administrative staff bureaucracy.
Salaried and benefitted Dhimmicrats galore.
The lesson on today’s college campus: the First Amendment protects pornography but it doesn’t protect religious expression or non-leftist political speech.
As Jesse Helms so eloquently put when NC was trying to expand the state zoo: We don’t need to enlarge the zoo – just put a fence around Chapel Hill.
How anyone could think that a conservative speaker would be afforded respect from that freak show is beyond logic.
SERIOUSLY?????
Now Im going to have that in my head ALL DAY TODAY!!!!!
Whilst we have an administration that is firmly in the tank for the Unions, spending on education will further the Union interests rather than the students. There was a good op-ed in the WSJ yesterday pointing out that now the vouchers in DC have been successfully squashed, charter schools are next in their sights. The Unions will not be satisfied until they have a monopoly on the education system.
bear1909 – YES to everything you said.
The sad thing is, Chapel Hill is exporting its advocacy of liberal thought and ideals to school systems across the country via their education department’s ability to develop and publish teaching materials for public schools.
And here’s our Napolitano expressing her “concerns” about right wing extremist groups.
Look in the mirror ma’am. It’s your side that’s out of control, and threatens people with violence.
Typical leftist move, blame the right of what your doing already.
Simple math (For Simple Minds)
FACT Obama says the US is at fault for the drug wars in Mexico because America purchases Mexican drugs pouring across the border on human mules
and
FACT Obama does nothing to discourage human mules from crossing the border
and
FACT Obama actually encourages human mules to cross the border by undoing the only positive thing that Clinton accomplished (welfare reform)
therefore
Richard Milhouse Obama is fully and solely responsible for the drug wars in Mexico.
So on behalf of the American people I hereby apologize to Mexico for the short sighted stupidity and outright ignorance of the 68 Million Americans that voted for Barak Obama.
On behalf of the 145 Million Americans that didn’t vote for Obama I can only say “Don’t turn your back”
Oldy but a goody…
Last week I purchased a burger at Burger King for $1.58. The counter girl took my $ 2 and I was digging for my change when I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies, while looking at the screen on her register. I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters , but she hailed the manager for help.. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried.
Why do I tell you this? Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1950s:
1. Teaching Math In 1950s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is 4/5 of the price.
What is his profit ?
2. Teaching Math In 1960s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80.
What is his profit?
3. Teaching Math In 1970s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is $80.
Did he make a profit?
4. Teaching Math In 1980s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20.
Your assignment: Underline the number 20.
5. Teaching Math In 1990s
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate
and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our
woodlands.
He does this so he can make a profit of $20.
What do you think of this way of making a living?
Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds
and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong
answers, and if you feel like crying, it’s ok. )
6. Teaching Math In 2009
Un hachero vende una carretada de maderapara $100. El costo de la
producciones es $80.. Cuanto dinero ha hecho?
I notice that U of NC at CH didn’t invite him back. Cowards.
And dont order a dozen ‘plain ole hamburgers’ these days.
You end up 20 miles down the road with nothing but a bag full of buns with only meat on ‘em…
Their motto: “A Stolen Social Security Number is a Terrible Thing to Waste(TM)”
SHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
No Talking!
If you’re a Conservative.
I lived in California for a short time, and I attended school there. When I was there for well over a year, I was more than eligible for in-state tuition. I brought in several examples of paperwork I was told to bring to prove my residential status including driver’s license, bank statement, and paycheck stub, in addition to having attended the school for over a year (and getting straight A’s). Yet the administrators denied me a break in my tuition, saying what I brought in to prove my status wasn’t enough. This happened while California’s illegal alien tuition breaks were getting attention in the news. Circumstances forced me to leave California before the start of the following semester, but that doesn’t change the fact that I did call California my home at that time and I intended to continue doing so. I was extremely frustrated that they were bouncing around the idea of allowing illegals in-state tuition while I as an American who followed the rules was denied the same break. It doesn’t make sense.
But when my fellow Americans get vicious when someone wants to talk about it, it confirms what I already know—that a lot of people are just plain batguano crazy. You just can’t reason with people who behave that way.
And here’s an article from April 3rd regarding what’s going on now with in-state tuition for illegals. Eyeroll-inducing portion:
Ah, yes, there’s that bipartisanship of which we are oh so familiar rearing its ugly head again.
More info at Sen. Lugar’s website.
My daughter visited Hampshire. They offered a scholarship, but she chose a different school–she didn’t like the lack of structure. Our stay at the Lord Jeffery Inn was the highlight od the trip.
Yes!!! I don’t know what’s wrong with me…I must be a right-wing extremist for continuing to use accurate, descriptive terms when there are politically correct terms available to mis-label lawbreakers! Haha!!!
ajmontana said:
Exactly. Why else does the Left say “The debate is over!”? They can’t tell you when or where the debate was held, but they know it’s over. They’re not interested in debate or free speech if it is contrary to their world view.
And yet “conservatives” still send their children to state-run education… Folks send their children to Caesar’s schools and then wonder why they come back Romans. The Marxists definitely knew/know what they were/are doing.
Forget the Tea Parties: how about taking ownership of your children’s education?
Destruction of property
Reckless Endangerment
Inciting a riot
Disturbing the peace
That would be a start … just at first glance.
I wonder which highly funded, tightly organized, left-wing “grass roots” outfit called in this rent’a'mob?
Chaple Hill is no surprise, enough so the 82nd has a travel with cuation in that area warning. :-/ Though honestly since we’ve gotten more and more people moving in NC from the North East it has really gone down hill. I don’t even know what happend…well I do, just you get the point. Heck why I plan to move asap.
IT NEVER FAILS TO AMAZE ME HOW PEOPLE WILL WANT TO MOVE FROM ONE PLACE, BUT TAKE THAT EXACT PLACE WITH THEM TO THE NEXT PLACE. CALIFORNIANS ESCAPING TO OREGON/WASHINGTON/ARIZONA/NEVADA/UTAH & MONTANA, ONLY TO DEMAND EACH OF THOSE STATES BECOME CARBON COPIES OF CALIFORNIA.
Cheapseat -
In like manner, Muslims migrate to the West, living their homeland and the suffocating environment. Yet here they want to turn their new State/s of residence to something very much like the place they left behind. They want to convert the people already here ahead of them. They even want shari’a to rule!
Done – Bucko – UNC ‘74.