Keep Your Mouth Shut!

According to this Chicago Tribune article, "U of I to review removal of religion professor", a professor was fired for "explain[ing]" the Catholic Church's stance on homosexuality and the related warrants. Labeled as "hate speech", the University of Illinois determined that this information was inappropriate. By the way, it was a religion class.

Folks, I have sat in college-level classes where it was well understood that one better "think" the right things if one wanted to get a good grade. In the education classes, one must hate vouchers. In science classes, one must admire Darwin. According to the report, this guy wasn't telling people what to think, per say, he was explaining what the Catholic Church thought and why. Unlike the tactics of the left and its choke-hold on free thought, nothing suggests that students were forced to agree with the Catholic Church, only to learn about it.

If evidence were to surface that students' test scores suffered when they didn't side with Judaeo/Christian beliefs then, yes, the professor was out of line and disciplinary action would be appropriate. Let's say, however, that the instructor reportedly stood up and said, flat out, "homosexuality is an abomination", but he allowed for free discussion and graded on the content of arguments, regardless of a particular stance, he would have been well in the bounds of the concept of university.

That is the heart of university, an environment where many ideas contend for supremecy. A good teacher knows what is true, or when it is "unknown"; however, education happens when the students form solid conclusions based on the information, not based on a teacher's expectations. Good educators present information and spark thought. Good classes take ideas and beat them to a pulp. If they stand, they stay.

To the contrary, the University of Illinois seems to agree with the current president's thinking that "information [is] a distraction" ("Obama: 'Information Becomes a Distraction'”). There isn't any indication that this professor tried to police the thought of his students. Instead, he probably presented perspectives and philosophical arguments for which they had never encountered, especially since public schools have become indoctrination centers where elementary students can learn all about "anal penetration" ("Montana Parents Weigh In on Proposed Kindergarten Sex Ed"). What part of university bars teachings of the Catholic Church in its religion department?



That's the problem. There's not much left of university. We have freedom of speech, unless you say something that is "offensive". We retain democracy unless you vote the wrong way. No one wants to debate anymore. They want to declare, to control. Their ideas are so good, so righteous, so good-intentioned that to question them would only delay the utopian state that "they" can deliver. It's time to shut up. Its time to listen. Its time to do what you are told. Or else?