A Washington State University professor of comparative ethics named C. Richard King has joined the battle of the Redskins name for a football team. Anecdotal evidence suggests that resistance and offense to this name erupts in the minds of a small percentage of Native Americans. Some reports indicate that those offended number 10% or less of the three million or so ‘Amerindian and Alaska natives’.
Professor King joins those worthy Native Americans who take umbrage at the sound and appearance of the name, ‘Redskins.’ The name has been in use since 1933; we’ve had 83 years to object; why now?
This nation has become so sensitized that when one person complains about prayer in school or the posting of the ‘Ten Commandments’ on the wall of a public building, conflict arises. Friends become foes and a geyser of disagreement results.
Over the past seven years our country has morphed from the land of freedom and self determination to a land divided by race, gender, political allegiance, environmental perception, national loyalty, economic level, educational achievement, LGBT and a host of other considerations.
A recent headline in one newspaper said this, “Sanders Courts Black Vote.” Why is Bernie courting the Black vote? The answer is that this nation has been deliberately divided by political leadership supported by journalistic predilection.
The United States is the most diverse nation in the world. Our citizens have names that originated in every continent and nation in the world. Men and women from around the globe came here to better their lives because of our freedoms and natural resources and their personal resourcefulness of transforming ideas and dreams into prosperous reality.
Colleges and universities have enlisted on the side of political correctness taken to new subterranean levels of super stupidity. Janet Napolitano was Secretary of Homeland Security form 2009 to 2013 when she was appointed President of the University of California system.
Apparently at the direction of President Napolitano, a faculty training guide complete with seminars on the subject published a list of ‘micro-aggressions’ that may be offensive to some people, especially minorities. Here are some of the phrases to test your own logic: ‘America is the land of opportunity,’ ‘America is melting pot’ and ‘I don’t believe in race.’
Other objectionable phrases include, ‘I believe the most qualified person should get the job,’ ‘Affirmative action is racist,’ and ‘When I look at you, I don’t see color.’
Former economics professor at UCLA now at George Mason University Tim Groseclose said, “I don’t think the University of California realizes how crazy it’s become.” However, other institutions of learning hopped onto the bandwagon. OiYan Poon, an assistant professor at Loyola University in Chicago told FoxNews.com that, “These statements may seem innocent, but…they underhandedly and subtly undermine the very real experiences with racism, sexism and other forms of oppression.”
In front of Fusz Hall located on the campus of Saint Louis University in St. Louis, a statue of Jesuit Missionary Pierre-Jean De Smet S.J. praying over two Native Americans dressed in traditional clothing has been removed. Its new home is in the SLU Museum of Art.
Student Ryan McKinley summed up the change by writing: “This message for American Indians is simple: You do not belong here if you do not submit to our culture and our religion.” And all along we thought that religion was about submitting to God and denominational religious beliefs through His emissaries; priests, ministers and rabbis.
Over the past few years, highly regarded speakers have been disinvited from the podiums at several leading universities. Rejected speakers included former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (Rutgers), women’s rights activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali (Brandeis), Oscar winning and LGBT activist Dustin Lance Black (Pasadena City College, his alma mater), and NYC Police Commissioner Ray Kelly (Brown University, booed off the stage).
Some elite universities have replaced their mission of learning and teaching to censorship regarding their perceived white male supremacy that they believe must be summarily crushed. Research studies show that more than 90% of college faculty members are liberal to some degree. Can academia transform our home of liberty and freedom to a liberal, left-wing, progressive socialist state of ersatz equality? They’re trying.
Dick Baynton
