Up until now, the alt-Left’s antics have at times been amusing. Hearing CNN declare that every American who voted for Trump is a “white supremacist by default” shows only how bereft of serious arguments liberals are. Sillier still is the blanket assertion by a professor at Clemson that “all Republicans are racist scum.” The teacher in question would probably be the first to agree with the equally laughable claim that blacks can’t be racist, even though that contradicts his own claim since some Republicans are black.
But the latest sweeping generalization is a bridge too far. According to CBS affiliate KKTV, snowflakes at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS) have posted a flyer on campus that argues that military veterans should be banned from attending the school. The reason these distinguished men and women should be discriminated against is even more appalling: Their culture, the flyer asserts, is similar to that of white supremacists.
Titled the “Social Justice Collective Weekly,” the hate-filled screed reads:
Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
A four-year, traditional university is supposed to be a place of learning, of understanding, of safety and security. However, there is an element among us who may be frustrating those goals: Veterans.
UCCS is known for its number of veterans who are full and part-time students. But these veterans of much of the school prides [sic] themselves on may be hurting the university.
First off, many veterans openly mock the ideas of diversity and safe spaces for vulnerable members of society. This is directly in contradiction to the mission of UCCS. Many veterans utter the mantra that they, “do not see color”. But the problem lies in their socialization into the military culture that is that of a white supremacist organization. They have been permanently tainted, and are no long [sic] fit for a four-year university.
Second, many students are frightened by the presence of veterans in their classrooms. Veterans usually have an overwhelming presence in the classroom, which can distract other students. This is usually true for vulnerable individual such as LGBTQQI2SAA, who have been known to be the butt of insensitive jokes made by veterans.
Finally, veterans usually are associated with extremists right-wing groups such as the tea party and the NRA. In order to provide a safe place for all students, extremist right-wing groups must be suppressed on campus. This would include their followers: veterans.
That is not to say that veterans should not be allowed an education. Veterans should be allowed to attend trade schools, or maybe even community college. But, in order to protect our academic institutions we must ban veterans from four-year universities.
UCCS’s chancellor has responded in a statement:
I write this morning in response to a flyer posted yesterday on the UCCS campus by a non-UCCS group. The flyer references veterans studying at institutions of higher education. UCCS does not endorse and vigorously rejects the offensive viewpoints expressed in the flyer.
This flyer stands at the intersection of two core values for UCCS and higher education.
On the one hand, we recognize the right of people to express their viewpoints, even when those viewpoints are offensive to many in our community. The University of Colorado system adheres to the freedoms embodied in the United States Constitution, which include the freedom of speech contained in the First Amendment.
In doing so, we draw guidance from the words of the United States Supreme Court, which recently reaffirmed that speech touching on social and political matters is within the bounds of constitutional protection. When speech is a matter of public concern, even though it is racist or sexist, it “cannot be restricted simply because it is upsetting or arouses contempt” and we “must tolerate insulting, and even outrageous, speech in order to provide adequate ‘breathing space’ to the freedoms protected by the First Amendment.” I reject the notion that we should censor those who denigrate others, as censorship would have silenced many voices over the decades who needed to be heard.
On the other hand, respect for the right of someone to speak should never be taken as endorsing the viewpoints that someone has expressed. The viewpoints that the authors express are against the law. UCCS does not discriminate against veterans. But even more fundamentally, UCCS does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, creed, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or political philosophy. People earn the right to study at UCCS by virtue of hard work and individual effort, and we do not bar the door.
Beyond the fact that the authors’ position is illegal, it is also wrong. We ascribe to The Board of Regents’ Guiding Principle that the University of Colorado shall always strive to “provide an outstanding, respectful, and responsive living, learning, teaching, and working environment.” Veterans are positive and valued members of our academic and campus community. They bring experience and viewpoints that enrich our discussions.
The statement goes on in this vein for another 150 words, but it is not enough. The authors of this document should be ferreted out and summarily expelled. They lack the maturity and sensitivity required to be a member in good standing of any organization. That is true of a university and of the military, which when required calls on its members to make the ultimate sacrifice to defend the right of upstarts like these to spew their hate.
