Purdue University fights for free speech on campus

And it took our past Indiana Republican Governor, Mitch Daniels, who is now President of my wonderful alma mater, to assure free speech on an American campus. Mitch, by the way, has frozen tuition and cut room and board by 10% during 2013, 2014, and 2015 (his first three years as president).................and without any loss in quality learning. The cost for books has been halved. Expenses will again decrease in 2016 and most likely again in 2017.

There were protests when Mitch Daniels was hired at Purdue because he didn't come from Academia, but mostly because the campus Liberals hate Conservatives. Mitch had a long private sector background before entering government. There are no longer protests and Mitch has been wildly successful. After all, more kids can afford Purdue now......................all the while speaking freely.


https://nation.foxnews.com/2015/11/12/purdue-president-slaps-down-anti-free-speech-idiocy-yale-and-mizzou

This is, indeed, outstanding.

Nonetheless DonDiego fears this attempt at protecting free-speech on a college campus is way to serious and "adult" to survive criticisms of those who favor paternalistic methods to protect students from hurtful speech.

[Def: "paternalism": the policy or practice on the part of people in positions of authority of restricting the freedom and responsibilities of those subordinate to them in the subordinates' supposed best interest.]

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Excerpts from The Huffington Post of 15 May 2015:

[It seems back in May] Purdue became the first public institution of higher education to adopt a free speech policy called the "Chicago principles," condemning the suppression of views no matter how "offensive, unwise, immoral, or wrong-headed" they may be.

The Chicago principles were crafted and approved at the University of Chicago in January and [had already been] adopted by the faculty at Princeton University.

University of Chicago law professor Geoffrey R. Stone, who chaired the free speech committee, said there was "consensus pretty much from the beginning on the basic principles" of the statement. Stone is excited to see other schools adopting the same ideas, especially in light of recent speech debates on campus.
"My own personal view is that the level of intolerance for controversial views on college campuses is much greater than at any time in my memory and that it is most unfortunate," Stone said. "College is a time to learn to deal with challenging, unsettling, and even offensive and hateful ideas. In the real world, we are inevitably confronted with these ideas, and college should prepare our graduates to know how to respond to such ideas courageously, effectively and persuasively."

[The above paragraph is great stuff ! DonDiego recommends the interested reader re-read it, . . . more slowly this time.]

Both the Chicago and Purdue statements instruct community members to "not obstruct or otherwise interfere" with an opponent's speech, but leave open the possibility for the university to restrict defamation, genuine threats, harassment that "unjustifiably invades" privacy or "expression that violates the law."

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DonDiego notes a significant difference between the behaviors adopted by the "activists" on the University of Missouri Campus and those fostered by, f'rinstance , the University of Chicago, Princeton, and Purdue,

On Mizzou the response was to "form a safe space" for those supporting a position on public grounds and prohibit any argument against that position and even physically exclude anyone who did not agree with those in the safe space in violation of the First Amendment.

DonDiego is pleased to note there are still mature logical clear-thinking adults in America, . . . although they are not all popular and, as a result, there numbers are likely to decrease. It is always easier to organize a mob than to engage in meaningful debate.

Directly from Mitch Daniel's letter....
"First, that we strive constantly to be, without exception, a welcoming inclusive and discrimination-free community, where each person is respected and treated with dignity. "

This appears to be a clause that was largely ignored at the Mizzou campus.

Yeah, 'cause those doing the protesting are treating others with "respect and dignity"

Mitch Daniel's and Boiler's University should strive for a "welcoming inclusive and discrimination-free community, where each person is respected and treated with dignity". When this is not possible, however, Boiler believes that all opinions should be allowed.

Does PJ disagree? A yes or no answer would be appreciated but not expected.

Absolutely, I disagree.

This statement of yours: "When this is not possible, however, Boiler believes that all opinions should be allowed" I find disturbingly enabling. What would be the impossible scenario to treat others with dignity and inclusiveness? Maybe you can share from your own life experiences.
My company (as one example) has a zero-tolerance policy for "different opinions" when those opinions manifest themselves as discriminatory, condescending, or other ways prejudicial. My company fires people who openly share those opinions. I'm proud to work for such a company. I'd be embarrassed to work for a company that didn't.

But Boilerman is right about one thing. Mitch Daniels will happily turn a blind eye towards racist bigots on his campus. Boilerman has lots to be proud of.
Vandals paint racial slurs above portrait of campus civil rights leader at Perdue.

PJ once again shows that he doesn't understand that speech can not be (legally) controlled by government. PJ can, however, kick me out of his house for spouting Conservative views. A private company can fire one for hurtful speech.

University of Missouri and Purdue University are public entities, thus live by a different set of rules vs PJ in his home.

hey, look at this.....Purdue has the same program that DonDiego complained about at Mizzou. Students can report hateful speech which will be investigated by speech cops. They even have a website to report such incidents.

report hate or bias to Purdue cops

Does Mitch know about this? And is Boilerman going to burn his alumni jacket?

Even Mitch Daniels can't change a wacky Liberal culture instantly. I jokingly write "wacky", as Purdue's campus has always been much more interested in free speech and thoughtful two way conversation than most colleges...............including the left leaning Indiana University.

PJ seems to think that Boiler supports assholes who are racist, yet I do not. I do support their right to be an asshole racist, however. In fact, Boiler would be the first to tell such an asshole that he is, in fact, an asshole.