The CES Letter

[creekster]

I have no problem with Williams cancelling Susan Venker, and not because she may upset people whose feelings are too tender. I'd never heard of her but a little research reveals that she's a crackpot and maybe a bad person. Bravo Williams!

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor...on_t_have.html

Really? That article, which is an opinion piece pandering to Slate's demographic and is exceedingly snarky, almost to the point of losing its way, is the basis for your compelling conclusion that Susan Venker is a "crackpot" and might be a "bad person?" Maybe Williams should read such compelling opinions BEFORE they invite people to come and speak, instead of un-inviting a speaker because her 'crackpot' POV might upset the little soft-minded children they are being paid to teach.

We here could easily conclude, based on your body of work, that you, too, are a crackpot and, maybe, a bad person. So should we ban you from posting? So as not to upset soft-minded people like me? If you plan to respond please warn me, because I think I'll need a safe space.

[Donuthole]

Quad post! Quick, someone teach SU about the multi-quote feature!

[SeattleUte]

Really? That article, which is an opinion piece pandering to Slate's demographic and is exceedingly snarky, almost to the point of losing its way, is the basis for your compelling conclusion that Susan Venker is a "crackpot" and might be a "bad person?" Maybe Williams should read such compelling opinions BEFORE they invite people to come and speak, instead of un-inviting a speaker because her 'crackpot' POV might upset the little soft-minded children they are being paid to teach.

We here could easily conclude, based on your body of work, that you, too, are a crackpot and, maybe, a bad person. So should we ban you from posting? So as not to upset soft-minded people like me? If you plan to respond please warn me, because I think I'll need a safe space.

I haven't asked to and don't consider myself entitled to speak at Williams, and there's no shame in that. Williams is maybe the top liberal arts college in the country, it's private, and it can invite and disinvite anyone it wants. I don't consider what it did to be so bad. I've read today about worse things done to people. What Williams did to her doesn't "drive me nuts".

[Topper]

I haven't asked to and don't consider myself entitled to speak at Williams, and there's no shame in that. Williams is maybe the top liberal arts college in the country, it's private, and it can invite and disinvite anyone it wants. I don't consider what it did to be so bad. I've read today about worse things done to people. What Williams did to her doesn't "drive me nuts".

Why was she invited in the first place? She was at first of sufficient quality but upon further review her insensitivity made her unworthy? Don't they vet people in the first place BEFORE inviting them?

During parent weekend, I wanted to ask the Dean at CU about this issue, but figured my wife would elbow me. If it is continuing to recur what makes you believe "it is being dealt with"?

[SeattleUte]

Why was she invited in the first place? She was at first of sufficient quality but upon further review her insensitivity made her unworthy? Don't they vet people in the first place BEFORE inviting them?

During parent weekend, I wanted to ask the Dean at CU about this issue, but figured my wife would elbow me. If it is continuing to recur what makes you believe "it is being dealt with"?

They made a mistake. Boo hoo for her. She probably got ten new invitations from misogynistic organizations for this one she lost.

[Topper]

They made a mistake. Boo hoo for her. She probably got ten new invitations from misogynistic organizations for this one she lost.

Universities make mistakes?

[creekster]

I haven't asked to and don't consider myself entitled to speak at Williams, and there's no shame in that. Williams is maybe the top liberal arts college in the country, it's private, and it can invite and disinvite anyone it wants. I don't consider what it did to be so bad. I've read today about worse things done to people. What Williams did to her doesn't "drive me nuts".

While I am so very relieved that you aren't being driven nuts, that's beside the point. Did you really conclude that she might be a bad person based on that tripe from Slate? By your silence on the issue I must assume so, which is an embarrassing result for you, and all reasonable, intelligent and truly liberal people agree with me.

And where's my safe space?

[Joe Public]

Why was she invited in the first place? She was at first of sufficient quality but upon further review her insensitivity made her unworthy? Don't they vet people in the first place BEFORE inviting them?

It was a student organization that issued and then withdrew (and has now reissued) the invitation. I don't get the impression the school faculty or administration was involved in the withdrawal. I don't think it was a vetting issue in this case; the topics were supposed to be "uncomfortable" for the listeners. Instead, I think the students running the organization simply caved under the heat from other students who were bothered by the speaker's position.

EDIT: Here is a copy of what she was going to say to the group:

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/...s-college.html

[Jeff Lebowski]

Haha. lol @ SU. Since when did he become a bleeding heart, PC wanker?

[MartyFunkhouser]

I have no problem with Williams cancelling Susan Venker, and not because she may upset people whose feelings are too tender. I'd never heard of her but a little research reveals that she's a crackpot and maybe a bad person. Bravo Williams!

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor...on_t_have.html

Sounds like byu should sign her up to speak.

[Jeff Lebowski]

This just proves my point. The problem is being dealt with. As always, universities are places where these types of problems are openly discussed and ventilated. Look at the cover of that Atlantic article--we're ruining our kids! Meanwhile, this kind of thing is red meat for right wing Jesus freaks who jump on any excuse to vilify universities. The Atlantic is like Donald Trump in that it knows how to play to the lowest common denominator.

I have no problem with Williams cancelling Susan Venker, and not because she may upset people whose feelings are too tender. I'd never heard of her but a little research reveals that she's a crackpot and maybe a bad person. Bravo Williams!

SU, you will be happy to know that most college students agree with you that free speech should be stifled on college campuses. Recent survey results reported.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/notable-...pus-1445555707

By a margin of 51 percent to 36 percent, students favor their school’s having speech codes to regulate speech for students and faculty. Sixty-three percent favor requiring professors toemploy “trigger warnings” to alert students to material that might be discomfiting. One-third of the students polled could not identify the First Amendment as the part of the Constitution that dealt with free speech.

(quote from a preview of the upcoming november issue referenced in WSJ article)

[Topper]

SU, you will be happy to know that most college students agree with you that free speech should be stifled on college campuses. Recent survey results reported.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/notable-...pus-1445555707



(quote from a preview of the upcoming november issue referenced in WSJ article)

That is a disturbing trend. Many intelligent people no longer believe in the merits of free speech, but rather they believe in regulated speech that conforms to socially acceptable norms.

[Brian]

And Mr. Runnells gets a court of love on the day of love.

http://cesletter.com/jeremy-runnells...unication.html

[Jeff Lebowski]

I am amazed it took this long.

[Moliere]

And Mr. Runnells gets a court of love on the day of love.

http://cesletter.com/jeremy-runnells...unication.html

He's holding a press conference