The Silencing

by Kirsten Powers

  19.Ibid.

  20.“New Report: 59% of Campuses Maintain Severe Speech Restrictions—But That’s Actually an Improvement,” FIRE, January 17, 2014, http://www.thefire.org/new-report-59-of-campuses-maintain-severe-speech-restrictions-but-thats-actually-an-improvement/; “Spotlight on Speech Codes 2015,” FIRE, 2015.

  21.Interview with Kirsten Powers, January 2015.

  22.“Colorado College: Students Found Guilty for Satirical Flyer,” FIRE, http://www.thefire.org/cases/colorado-college-students-found-guilty-for-satirical-flyer/.

  23.F. Scott Fitzgerald, This Side of Paradise, Bartleby.com, http://www.bartleby.com/115/11.html.

  24.“Brandeis University: Professor Found Guilty of Harassment for Protected Speech,” FIRE, http://www.thefire.org/cases/brandeis-university-professor-found-guilty-of-harassment-for-protected-speech/.

  25.Denise-Marie Ordway, “UCF Instructor Placed on Leave after ‘Killing Spree’ Comment,” Orlando Sentinel, April 25, 2013, http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-04-25/news/os-ucf-instructor-killing-spree-comment-20130425_1_killing-spree-ucf-spokesman-chad-binette-rosen-college.

  26.“FIRE Letter to University of Central Florida,” FIRE, April 26, 2013, http://www.thefire.org/fire-letter-to-university-of-central-florida/; “University of Central Florida Professor Reinstated after Suspension for In-Class Joke,” FIRE, May 21, 2013, http://www.thefire.org/university-of-central-florida-professor-reinstated-after-suspension-for-in-class-joke/.

  27.“Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedures for Employees,” New York University, http://www.nyu.edu/about/policies-guidelines-compliance/policies-and-guidelines/anti-harassment-policy-and-complaint-procedures.html.

  28.Holy Cross College, College of the Holy Cross Student Handbook and Planner, http://www.holycross.edu/assets/pdfs/student_handbook.pdf.

  29.“Policy Statement on Harassment,” University of Connecticut, http://web2.uconn.edu/dde/docs/Harassment%20Policy%20Dec%202011.pdf.

  30.Virginia State University, Virginia State University Student Handbook, 2012–2013, “Section 8–Fighting, Assault, Threats of Physical Abuse, and Verbal Abuse,” 76, http://vsu.edu/files/docs/student-activities/student-handbook.pdf.

  31.University of Wisconsin-Stout, “Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy,” March 10, 2009, https://www.uwstout.edu/parq/upload/09-66-2.pdf.

  32.Fordham University, “Information Technology Usage,” updated August 11, 2014, http://legacy.fordham.edu/student_affairs/office_of_substance_/student_handbook/rose_hill_student_ha/university_regulatio/information_technolo_70917.asp.

  33.Lafayette College, Division of Campus Life, “Bias Response Team (BRT),” http://studentlife.lafayette.edu/student-health-and-safety/bias-%20response-team-brt/.

  34.In fact, it would be helpful if our colleges and universities consulted a dictionary and recognized that to “perceive” something means to see it accurately. I perceive that these speech codes are violations of free speech.

  35.Northwestern University, “Reporting Bias or Hate Incidents,” Division of Student Affairs, http://www.northwestern.edu/inclusion/respectnu/reporting-bias-hate-incidents/index.html.

  36.Microaggression definition from D. W. Sue et al., “Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Implications for Clinical Practice,” American Psychologist 62, no. 4 (2007), 271–86; Douglas Ernst, “Princeton Students Start ‘Microaggressions’ to Combat ‘Papercuts of Oppression,’” Washington Times, December 11, 2014, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/11/princeton-students-start-microaggressions-page-com/.

  37.Heather MacDonald, “The Microaggression Farce,” City Journal, November 19, 2014, http://www.city-journal.org/2014/24_4_racial-microaggression.html.

  38.Susan Kruth, “UCLA Report Suggests Chilling Speech Is the Answer to Offensive ‘Microaggressions,’” FIRE, January 8, 2014, http://www.thefire.org/ucla-report-suggests-chilling-speech-is-the-answer-to-offensive-microaggressions/.

  39.Omar Mahmood, “Do the Left Thing,” Michigan Review, http://www.michiganreview.com/do-the-left-thing/.

  40.Susan Kruth, “U. of Michigan Student Forced to Quit Student Publication Following Satirical Article,” FIRE, December 3, 2014, http://www.thefire.org/u-michigan-student-forced-quit-student-publication-following-satirical-article/.

  41.Omar Mahmood, “Read the ‘Hostile’ Column That Got Student Writer Suspended by Campus Newspaper,” College Fix, November 23, 2014, http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/20236/.

  42.Oberlin College, Office of Equity Concerns, “Sexual Offense Resource Guide: Support Resources for Faculty,” http://web.archive.org/web/20131222174936/ http://new.oberlin.edu/office/equity-concerns/sexual-offense-resource-guide/prevention-support-education/support-resources-for-faculty.dot.

  43.Lisa Leff, “Trauma Warning Move from Internet to Ivory Tower,” AP The Big Story, April 26, 2014, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/trauma-warnings-move-internet-ivory-tower.

  44.Justin Peligri, “Why We Need Trigger Warnings on Syllabi,” GW Hatchet, April 16, 2014, http://www.gwhatchet.com/2014/04/16/justin-peligri-why-we-need-trigger-warnings-on-syllabi/.

  45.Philip Wythe, “Trigger Warnings Needed in Classroom,” Daily Targum, February 18, 2014, http://www.dailytargum.com/article/2014/02/trigger-warnings-needed-in-classroom.

  46.Hamilton Nolan, “‘Triggered’ College Professor Argues for Right to Tear Up Protest Signs,” Gawker, March 24, 2014, http://gawker.com/triggered-college-professor-argues-for-right-to-tear-1550250284.

  47.Jessy Diamba, “A.S. Resolution Policy Aims to Protect Students from PTSD Triggers,” Daily Nexus, March 7, 2014, http://dailynexus.com/2014-03-07/a-s-resolution-policy-aims-to-protect-students-from-ptsd-triggers/.

  48.Harvey Silverglate, “Liberals Are Killing the Liberal Arts,” Wall Street Journal, November 9, 2014, http://online.wsj.com/articles/harvey-silverglate-liberals-are-killing-the-liberal-arts-1415573959.

  49.“Petition: Move the ‘Sleepwalker’ Inside the Davis Museum,” Change.org, February 5, 2014, https://www.change.org/petitions/president-h-kim-bottomly-move-the-sleepwalker-inside-the-davis-museum.

  50.Lisa Fischman, “Response to Petition,” Change.org, February 4, 2014, https://www.change.org/p/president-h-kim-bottomly-remove-the-uncomfortable-and-potentially-triggering-statue-put-up-without-student-consent/responses/10205.

  CHAPTER FIVE: INTOLERANCE 201

  1.“University of Cincinnati: Speech Code Litigation,” FIRE, http://www.thefire.org/cases/university-of-cincinnati-speech-code-litigation/.

  2.Ibid.; “Federal Court Delivers Final Blow to U. of Cincinnati ‘Free Speech Zone,’” FIRE, August 22, 2012, http://www.thefire.org/federal-court-delivers-final-blow-to-u-of-cincinnati-free-speech-zone-2/.

  3.“Speech Zones,” Center for Campus Free Speech, http://www.campusspeech.org/page/cfs/speech-zones.

  4.Section 4. Code of Student Conduct, 2014–2015 Student Guide, Boston College, http://www.bc.edu/publications/studentguide/behavioralpolicies.html.

  5.Rachel S. Stuart, “UCF Students Protest Shrinking Free-Speech Zones,” Central Florida Future, September 18, 2014, http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/story/news/2014/09/18/ucf-free-speech-zones/15839401/.

  6.“University of Cincinnati: Speech Code Litigation,” FIRE.

  7.Greg Lukianoff, interview with author.

  8.“California College Forbids Passing Out Constitutions . . . on Constitution Day,” FIRE, September 19, 2013, http://www.thefire.org/california-college-forbids-passing-out-constitutions-on-constitution-day/.

  9.Ibid.

  10.Clarke Reilly, “Hawaiian University Sued for Blocking Students from Passing Out Copies of the Constitution,” Huffington Post, April 26, 2014, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/26/hawaii-constitution-lawsuit-university-students_n_5216705.html.

  11.Kevin Horne, “[Video] YAF Meets HUB Bureaucrats,” Onward State, September 18, 2014, http://onwardstate.com/2014/09/18/video-yaf-meets-hub-bureaucrats/; “Penn State Revises Speech Policies,” Daily Collegian, August 8, 2006,
http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archives/article_5ee8bf5b-6faf-5dbe-8ded-b347242801f1.html.

  12.Horne, “[Video] YAF Meets HUB Bureaucrats.”

  13.Jennifer Kabbany, “Conservative Activist Kicked Off Campus after Asking if ‘Big Government Sucks?,’” College Fix, October 18, 2014, http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/19760/.

  14.Lauren Cooley, “Remove the Free Speech Zone at Broward College by Making the Entire Campus Open for Free Speech and Expression, as Protected by the First Amendment,” Change.org, https://www.change.org/p/broward-college-remove-the-free-speech-zone-at-broward-college-by-making-the-entire-campus-open-for-free-speech-and-expression-as-protected-by-the-first-amendment.

  15.Kristina Sgueglia, “Condoleezza Rice Declines to Speak at Rutgers after Student Protests,” CNN, May 5, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/04/us/condoleeza-rice-rutgers-protests/.

  16.Douglas Belkin, “IMF’s Lagarde Won’t Speak at Smith, Part of a Growing List,” Wall Street Journal, May 12, 2014, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303851804579558390035335958.

  17.“Statement of Protest against HGSE’s 2014 Alumni Convocation Speaker, Mike Johnston,” ConvocationProtest2014.wordpress.com, http://convocationprotest2014.wordpress.com/statement-and-endorsers/

  18.Dottie Lamm, “Kudos to Michael Johnston for Making Commencement Speech,” Denver Post, June 6, 2014, http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_25912244/kudos-michael-johnston-making-commencement-speech.

  19.Ari Cohn, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, February 24, 2015.

  20.Susan Snyder, “Haverford Commencement Speaker Backs Out,” Philly.com, May 13, 2014, http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/campus_inq/Haverford-commencement-speaker-backs-out.html#7Ampz6tWT5qJBzzi.99.

  21.Ibid.

  22.Isabel Knight, Martin Froger-Silva, and Eduard Saakashvili, “Students Share Mixed Responses to George/West Collection,” Daily Gazette, February 13, 2014, http://daily.swarthmore.edu/2014/02/13/students-share-mixed-responses-to-georgewest-collection/.

  23.Ellie Sandmeyer, “George Will’s Offensive Rape Comments Alienate Another Institution (Updated),” Media Matters for America, October 7, 2014, http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/10/07/did-george-wills-offensive-rape-comments-aliena/201043.

  24.George F. Will, “Colleges Become the Victims of Progressivism,” Washington Post, June 6, 2014, http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/george-will-college-become-the-victims-of-progressivism/2014/06/06/e90e73b4-eb50-11e3-9f5c-9075d5508f0a_story.html.

  25.Tyler Kingkade, “Nearly 1,000 Students, Faculty Demand Miami University Cancel George Will Speech,” Huffington Post, October 21, 2014, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/21/miami-university-george-will_n_6017292.html.

  26.Joe Strupp, “Professors Slam George Will Campus Appearance after ‘Hate Speech’ Rape Column,” Media Matters for America, October 17, 2014, http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/10/17/professors-slam-george-will-campus-appearance-a/201212.

  27.Beth Dalbey, “MSU Defends George Will as Commencement Speaker,” Royal Oak Patch, December 3, 2014, http://patch.com/michigan/royaloak/msu-defends-george-will-commencement-speaker.

  28.Zack Budryk, “A Speaker Withdraws at Swarthmore,” Inside Higher Ed, April 8, 2013, https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/04/08/swarthmore-commencement-speaker-withdraws-over-controversy.

  29.Pervaiz Shallwani, “Kelly Booed off Stage during Talk,” Wall Street Journal, October 29, 2013, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303471004579166202578075932; Connor McGuigan and Corky Siemaszko, “Brown University Students Shout Commissioner Kelly off the Stage as He Attempted Lecture on Policing,” Daily News, updated October 30, 2013, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/brown-students-shout-commish-kelly-talk-article-1.1500618.

  30.Amy Taxin, “Muslim Students Protest Michael Oren, Israeli Ambassador: Free Speech or Criminal Act?,” Huffington Post, September 7, 2011, updated November 7, 2011, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/07/muslim-students-protest-michael-oren_n_952207.html.

  31.Jeff Greer, “Olmert Heckled at University of Chicago,” U.S. News & World Report, October 19, 2009, http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/paper-trail/2009/10/19/olmert-heckled-at-university-of-chicago.

  32.“Southern California—This Just In,” Los Angeles Times, February 9, 2010, http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/02/11-students-arrested-for-disrupting-israeli-ambassadors-speech-at-uc-irvine-.html.

  33.Greer, “Olmert Heckled at University of Chicago.”

  34.“Making Sense of Simcox,” Hoya, November 7, 2006, http://www.thehoya.com/making-sense-of-simcox/.

  35.Eliana Johnson, “At Columbia, Students Attack Minuteman Founder,” New York Sun, October 5, 2006, http://www.nysun.com/new-york/at-columbia-students-attack-minuteman-founder/41020/.

  36.Charles B. Reed, Memorandum regarding Student Activities—Executive Order 1068, California State University, December 21, 2011, https://www.calstate.edu/eo/EO-1068.html.

  37.Shane Morris, “One-Way Diversity,” Summit, October 17, 2014, http://www.summit.org/blogs/summit-announcements/one-way-diversity/.

  38.Carla Rivera, “Christian Group Fights for Identity against Cal State Policy,” Los Angeles Times, October 24, 2014, http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-calstate-clubs-20141024-story.html#page=1.

  39.Rod Dreher, “A Response from Vandy’s Misfit Christian,” American Conservative, August 27, 2014, http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/vanderbilt-misfit-christian-tish-harrison-warren/.

  40.Harvey A. Silverglate, “A Campus Crusade against the Constitution,” Wall Street Journal, September 18, 2014, http://www.wsj.com/articles/harvey-a-silverglate-a-campus-crusade-against-the-constitution-1411081302.

  41.“Buffalo Chapter Regains Status,” InterVarsity, August 8, 2012, http://www.intervarsity.org/news/buffalo-chapter-regains-status.

  42.Tish Harrison Warren, “The Wrong Kind of Christian,” Christianity Today, August 27, 2014, http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/september/wrong-kind-of-christian-vanderbilt-university.html?share=HEM3rHy3NoDHiyDTDefd4lNjZn9ixdLt&start=1.

  43.Michael Paulson, “Colleges and Evangelicals Collide on Bias Policy,” New York Times, June 10, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/10/us/colleges-andevangelicals-collide-on-bias-policy.html?_r=1.

  44.Warren, “The Wrong Kind of Christian.”

  45.Paulson, “Colleges and Evangelicals Collide.”

  46.Tish Warren, interview with author, January 2015.

  47.Ibid.

  48.Peter J. Gomes, “Staff’s View of Christian Group Backward,” Harvard Crimson, April 16, 2003, http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/4/16/staffs-view-of-christian-group-backward/; Crimson Staff, “A Discriminatory Clause,” Harvard Crimson, April 15, 2003, http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/4/15/a-discriminatory-clause-last-week-the/.

  49.Bob Smietana, “Foes of School’s Nondiscrimination Policy Look to Harvard,” USA Today, May 3, 2012, http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/story/2012-05-03/vanderbilt-harvard-nondiscrimination-christian-groups/54732314/1.

  50.Peter J. Gomes, “Homophobic? Re-Read Your Bible,” New York Times, August 17, 1992, http://www.nytimes.com/ref/opinion/op-classic-gomes.html?pagewanted=all.

  51.Peter J. Gomes, “Staff’s View of Christian Group Backward,” Harvard Crimson, April 16, 2003, http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2003/4/16/staffs-view-of-christian-group-backward/.

  52.Gomes, “Homophobic? Re-Read Your Bible.”

  53.Jennifer Kabbany, “Conservative Muslim Student Vandalized with Eggs, Hot Dogs; Told ‘Shut the F*ck Up,’” College Fix, December 12, 2014, http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/20486/.

  54.Gloria Steinem, Commencement Address 2007, Smith College, May 20, 2007, http://www.smith.edu/events/commencement_speech2007.php.

  CHAPTER SIX: THE WAR ON FOX NEWS

  1.“Remarks by the President at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner,” WhiteHouse.gov, April 29, 2012, https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/29/remarks-president-white-house-correspondents-associ
ation-dinner.

  2.“Remarks by the President at White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner,” WhiteHouse.gov, May 10, 2009, https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-white-house-correspondents-association-dinner-592009.

  3.Peter Drivas, “Obama Hits Fox News: They’re ‘Entirely Devoted to Attacking My Administration’—Fox News Responds,” Huffington Post, July 17, 2009, updated May 25, 2011, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/16/obama-hits-fox-news-theyr_n_216574.html.

  4.Joan Shorenstein Center, “The Invisible Primary—Invisible No Longer,” Project for Excellence in Journalism, October 29, 2007, http://www.journalism.org/files/legacy/The%20Early%20Campaign%20FINAL.pdf.

  5.Ibid.

  6.David Bauder, “Study: Media Coverage Has Favored Obama Campaign,” Huffington Post, December 1, 2008, updated May 25, 2011, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/31/study-media-coverage-has_n_139916.html?; Alexander Burns, “Halperin at Politico/USC conf.: ‘extreme pro-Obama’ press bias,” Politico, November 22, 2008, http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15885.html.

  7.FoxNews.com, “White House Escalates War of Words with Fox News,” Fox News, October 12, 2009, http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/12/white-house-escalates-war-words-fox-news/#ixzz2IYNOAqI1.

  8.Petition, “It’s Time to Take on Fox,” MoveOn.org, http://bit.ly/146eUuP.

  9.“Democratic Party Dumps Fox,” MoveOn.Org, March 9, 2007, http://bit.ly/1xEuXNG.

  10.Kate Phillips, “Stung by Remarks, Nevada Democrats Cancel Debate on Fox,” New York Times, March 10, 2007, http://nyti.ms/146gj4g.

  11.Matt Stoller, “Republican Propaganda Is Not News,” Politico, March 13, 2007, http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0307/3109.html.

  12.CNN Reliable Sources, Transcript, “Interview with White House Communications Director; Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize,” CNN, October 11, 2009, http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0910/11/rs.01.html.

  13.Jim Rutenberg, “Behind the War Between White House and Fox,” New York Times, October 22, 2009, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/us/politics/23fox.html?_r=0.