In an article published a week ago or so, the website Campus Reform had an article on the Qualm letter to regents to help determine how bad the free speech problem is on South Dakota’s campuses:
“As you are aware from your recent hearing, the past legislative session witnessed an extensive debate over HB 1073 and SB 198, bills which were designed to promote free speech and debate on South Dakota’s college campuses,” Qualm wrote. “I am strongly committed to the goals underlying these pieces of legislation and I fully expect, based on conversations with my fellow legislators, that similar and related bills will be filed again during the next legislative session and that they will have the support of the governor’s office.”
Qualm attached a list of 19 questions to the BOR, all designed to help members in the South Dakota House of Representatives create legislation fostering free speech and debate on South Dakota college campuses.
Some of the questions reviewed by Campus Reform involve Qualm inquiring the BOR on instances in which free speech rights may have been violated on the state’s college campuses.
and…
Just two days after the BOR announced the proposed policy changes, South Dakota state Sen. Jim Stalzer and State Rep. Sue Peterson, both Republicans, penned another set of questions to the regents.
The two legislators say that they are supportive of the BOR’s efforts to support free speech and intellectual diversity, but state that they “are also concerned with reports that university faculties are already organizing against any attempts to promote intellectual diversity.”
Stalzer and Peterson ask many questions similar to those posed by Qualm, but also press the BOR on so-called “diversity hires” and ask why colleges cannot make “intellectual diversity hires.”
When liberal ideology is directly compared to conservative principles, liberalism generally loses. Which is why they try to ban free speech from campus.
Students deserve to make a choice from all ideas. Not just the narrow ideology their professors choose.
USD has a Spanish professor, and Mexican citizen, who continuously bashes our president to his class. Calling him not smart, a fool, etc. He also lets kids call him stupid, ugly, fat, etc with no repermain. He is teaching these kids to disrespect our leader.
Our leader is teaching kids to be disrespectful.
It’s nice that he can get overpaid to mouth off about our president. I guess he thinks Mexico’s president is a super guy-look how many people want to go to live in Mexico.
I’d tell my kid to learn a different language.
If only our president didn’t do the same thing like calling citizens names and making fun of the disabled.
When did he make fun of the disabled? I think you got that from the “media”.
https://www.snopes.com/news/2016/07/28/donald-trump-criticized-for-mocking-disabled-reporter/
“When liberal ideology is directly compared to conservative principles, liberalism generally loses.”
Based on what measure? Are you using the words ideology and principles interchangeably here?
There are such things as liberal principles. The word ‘liberal’ derives from the Latin liberalis, meaning freedom or relating to freedom. A principled liberal supports free speech & open debate even though both offend some listeners. A principled liberal supports Americans’ freedom to speak words and to voice ideas that most consider hateful. A principled liberal does not shy from her core values when the listeners claiming offense include privileged or sympathetic groups. No liberal believes a girl who used a forbidden word or advocated an unwise policy should be expelled or even suspended from her public university. A principled liberal welcomes capitalist, socialist, communist, atheist, evangelical, Darwinist, creationist, pro-abortion, pro-life, militant feminist and alt-right speakers to campus. A principled liberal readily agrees that the views of Open Borders Globalists and Global Warming Skeptics deserve public fora, not paternalistic censorship. Show me the *contemporary* democratic politician who’s a principled liberal. There were some, once.
The lefties I know can’t defend their positions. When they get stuck, they start squawking on about golf.
Liberalism supports less individual freedom through more government control, less accountability from individuals, buying of behavior by welfare, erosion of national sovereignty, and on and on.
I can see their quandary: how do you defend the indefensible?
Let’s say you’re a famous & zealous anti-vaxxer, like Jenny McCarthy, Jim Carey, Alicia Silverstone, or Bill Maher. While I disagree with your stance, one I consider under-informed & pseudo-scientific, I’d nevertheless defend your right to (1) accept a student group’s invitation, and (2) speak on campus. The mere fact that I find your argument unpersuasive (or that haughty professors label your position offensive) does not affect your right to make it, nor does it limit the right of college students to hear it. I think vaccinations are mostly safe & I’m convinced they curb the spread of terrible epidemics. Yet, I’m not so arrogant as to presume I know everything. Listening to speakers with whom we disagree — even some we find abhorrent — is a great way to learn.
We need these reforms. Thank you to leaders of this
“Intellectual diversity hires?” Really? I’m totally fine with people of different political opinions, religions or any perspective expressing themselves. I went to Augie. I didn’t feel a blind bias of political stance there. Here’s what I think..to proudly back Trump, to not wbter into a peaceful dialogue with people that disagree is crap. Pat, maybe you can help me out here..when I was at Augie there was a violent, homophobic speaker..oh yeah, Fred Phelps screaming across the street…I disagree with much of what you say. Well, everything you say. I’ve never heard of someone who is liberal shooting up a synagogue or mailing bombs to those who think differently. I found my professors to be unbiased. So, question…If You are going to throw a fit about the right of conservative speech on campus, do you also warmly accept the voices of students who aren’t?
“I’m totally fine with people of different political opinions”… uh, no you’re not. You said some pretty horrific things about the people you think represents the GOP. Racists and homophobic? Remember that? I do.
What labels do you assign black or LGBT conservatives, RJ? That must be a difficult concept for you? Thoughts about the Blexit movement? The #WalkAway movement?
Do you see similarities between the hatred you have for Republicans and the hatred the synagogue killer has for Jews?
Yeah! What is wrong with the a local alt-right conservative group bringing in Richard Spencer, David Duke or Sebastian Gorka whatever to one of our state universities?
Yeah! And what’s wrong with the alt-left Hillary Clinton praising the Klan’s member, Robert C. Byrd? And, what’s wrong with Obama budding up with the alt-left Jew hater, Louis Farrakhan?
There’s zero conservatives at my South Dakota. That’s unfair. I’d like more balance
Kudos to Pierre for tackling this problem. Ideological balance on campus is badly needed.
Just for the record, the statement from the Board of Regents in saying that they have no knowledge of anyone’s rights being violated is wrong. On October 12, 2017, I was circulating a statewide Initiated Measure at my old alma mater, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T), when I was approached by a security personnel that asked if I had obtained a “permit” to do so. I informed him at that time I was alumni – but regardless, I wouldn’t seek a permit to engage in political free speech. He then threatened to have me arrested.
That was one of many different instances that occurred on college campuses across our state that year.
Needless to say, I would be more than happy to testify to this fact and bring all the documents and records I have on the incident to Pierre this year to help restore our basic free speech rights to our sacred Universities and Colleges.
As a quick follow-up, as I see we have someone from a private college on the thread – I’m perfectly fine with any institution restricting certain activity on their property, as long as they aren’t taking my tax money to do it. But if you are publicly funded, on public property – then you open yourself up to all that comes with that.
Private schools are publically funded and are very careful who they have on campus too. I don’t think it is because of liberal professors. Did Qualm investigate who where the person or persons that put a stop to the showing of Honor Diaries at USD. That is where he should start. It’s not that tough to get to the bottom of if. We have enough laws for freedom of speech. I would bet it is not the professors.
SDSU is terrible when it comes to liberal domination of social science and humanities. There are no conservative voices. Barry Dunn refuses to admit the problem. SDSU donors are now refusing to give because of it.
Which donors? They look like they’re doing fine to me… https://statelyreview.sdstatefoundation.org/financials
:-/
RJ: “I’ve never heard of someone who is liberal shooting up a synagogue or mailing bombs to those who think differently.”
One of Bernie Sanders followers attempted to murder a dozen Republican Congressman but only got one because of two Law enforcement officers.
And let’s not forget Bill Ayers and the Weather Underground’s acts of terrorism.
But, I don’t want to get in tit-for-tat. People who shoot innocent people thinking it serves some big picture agenda or will achieve some broad goal are crazy. No less crazy than Ted Bundy.
BTW, I thought the people yelling at and scratching at and beating their heads against the big wooden doors of the Supreme Court after the Kavanaugh vote are loony and in need of counseling. After the age of five, temper tantrums are no longer acceptable.
Frankly, it is delusional (dare I say crazy) to think one’s own philosophy is immune from crazy people identifying with it.
Anonymous: “What is wrong with the a local alt-right conservative group bringing in Richard Spencer, David Duke or Sebastian Gorka whatever to one of our state universities?”
Nothing. Neither is it wrong for Antifa or some far left group to bring in one of their advocates.
Thoughtfully and attentively listening in person to these fringe divisive groups is a good thing as it will let us know directly they are for real, they intend to do what the say if they come to power, etc.
You liberals need to realize just because you close your eyes and ears, crazy people will still exist, people who disagree with you will still exist. You don’t live in a fantasy world.
There are old-school liberals, like Austin Peterson, who haven’t gone off the deep end. Liberals once followed Evelyn Beatrice Hall’s defense of free speech, “I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”, not so much anymore.
I really don’t believe free speech in SD is about liberals. who knows, I wouldn’t pinpoint a part. I would get the answers as to who canceled the showing of the Honor Diaries. You can be registered any party and get pressured from your supieriors. Example…..signing the oath pledge. It is then the people in charge that are responsible.