Memo to Fresno State President Joseph Castro and his university:
Your cowardly inaction regarding Professor Randa Jarrar’s spiteful tweets say more about you and your values than it does about free speech.
As we mentioned in last week’s post about the “tolerant” Ms. Jarrar, the creative writing professor tweeted despicable comments within an hour of former First Lady Barbara Bush’s passing – then doubled down on her hate-filled vile and vitriol.
Castro admitted publicly that while Jarrar’s comments were “insensitive, inappropriate and an embarrassment to the university,” apparently they weren’t insensitive, inappropriate and embarrassing enough to do anything about them.
According to the Washington Post, the university concluded that her cruel comments did not violate any university policies and her disgraceful language was constitutionally protected speech under the First Amendment.
Okay. So what if a conservative professor at Fresno State (or any publicly-funded college campus or university) posted a similar tweet upon the death of Hillary Clinton, or the passing of former First Lady Michelle Obama?
Can you imagine how Castro and the university board would interpret “free speech” under those circumstances?
Reportedly the university’s decision was based in part on the fact that Jarrar was speaking about a public matter as an individual on her personal Twitter account. In other words, her actions weren’t representing the university and therefore, any action taken by the university would have violated her rights of free speech.
We should expect better than weasel logic from a university president.
Thousands of private companies prohibit tasteless free speech from their employees because they won’t tolerate such deplorable behavior – publicly or privately, for two reasons:
First, tasteless comments on social media by employees reflect bad on their employer. That’s bad for business. Secondly, it makes the employee look hateful and deranged – which in turn makes their employer look stupid for hiring them – which is also bad for business.
Actions and language have consequences in the real world. Safe spaces and microaggressions may be popular in the land of ivory towers, but they’re just a fairy tale in the business world.
Martin Luther King, Jr. had a famous dream where Americans of all colors would be judged by the content of their character.
In the case of Fresno State and all those supporting Randa Jarrar’s contemptible rhetoric, that would be hard to do because they have no character.
Thanks for reading Dean Riffs. Welcome to those who love American liberty, free enterprise, and who believe God has blessed our country. For those who believe in open borders, safe spaces, and who think free speech is hate speech, move on – there’s nothing here for you to see.
Source: washingtonpost.com, theaustralian.com.au
Photo source: fresnostate.edu
Copyright 2018, Dean A. George©
