Ben Stein was expelled from University of Vermont’s graduation speaking list. Why? Per the University it was due to a flood of complaints. I believe this happens more often than we know about, where the liberal voice on a campus will strongly oppose a conservative viewpoint to the point of disruption. Ben’s opinion on evolution just so happens to go against the generally accepted view. So? What part of Ben’s graduation speech would have affected these graduating students’ minds? Didn’t they just complete (4) years of liberal education? Are they not completely brainwashed already?
The issue I have is that these Universities publicly promote “Tolerance”, “Acceptance”, and “Diversity”; but when it comes to actually applying them they cave under the guise of “political correctness”.
Here’s something to chew on; just a few years ago this same University welcomed Congressman John Lewis (D - GA), who has compared Republicans to Nazis.
Yay Tolerance!
The issue I have is that these Universities publicly promote “Tolerance”, “Acceptance”, and “Diversity”; but when it comes to actually applying them they cave under the guise of “political correctness”.
Here’s something to chew on; just a few years ago this same University welcomed Congressman John Lewis (D - GA), who has compared Republicans to Nazis.
Yay Tolerance!
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6 comments:
The problem wasn't simply that Ben Stein's opinions on evolution go against reality. It is that Ben Stein has been an active force against science and academics. He has publicly said that "science leads you to killing people". He knows very little about evolution but makes himself out to be an expert. This is academic and intellectual dishonesty.
To have this man speak at an invocation would be a travesty. He made the proper decision to bow out and gain some attention feigning martrydom by the intolerant intelligentsia.
He never should have been asked to speak.
http://www.expelledexposed.com/
Dear Anonymous ;-) I truly appreciate your comments. We are all victims of man's judgment, but nonetheless entitled to our own opinions. My humble opinion is simply that presenting opposing views will promote more intellectual growth and development than presenting a single sided viewpoint. However, that was not the purpose of my blog (rant if you must). The purpose was to illustrate the intolerance of the few at the expense of the many.
Would it be intolerant to complain about an invocation speaker who was a Holocaust denier? How about a 9/11 conspiracy theorist?
The viewpoint of Ben Stein is simply wrong. He is an evolution denialist with little understanding of what evolution really means. Why should his views on this subject be takens seriously by anyone in the field of science? The answer is that they shouldn't. Ben Stein has no authority or business making claims about Evolution vs. Intelligent Design. His bias runs deep.
So, for an institution that is supposed to be about education and academic honesty, having a person like Ben Stein is an insult to everything that the instution should stand for.
Now, if this was some Bible college somewhere nobody would care. In fact, if it was a Bible college and they asked Richard Dawkins to speak, people would complain about that.
Intolerance goes both ways. However, some ideas are worthy of tolerance and others aren't.
Regarding your statement of “...Didn’t they just complete (4) years of liberal education? Are they not completely brainwashed already?"
Don't you feel that is a little extreme? Though I do side most passionately with those who argue the level of liberal subject matter being taught to our children throughout their educational career, I feel a statement such as yours borders on the side of judgment and self-righteousness.
I think your point was made when you simply posed the question: “What part of Ben’s graduation speech would have affected these graduating students’ minds?”
Also, Mr. Anonymous, I highly doubt he would have engaged in a deliverance speech about Evolution vs. Intelligent Design. Though you may feel that Ben Stein has committed some form of “…academic and intellectual dishonesty…” it doesn’t discount him from his ability to motivate our country’s next generation. There are some subjects that perhaps may be less controversial which he can make noteworthy contributions to.
It is unfair and unrealistic to judge each other based solely on our one extreme opinion. Just because he feels passionately about one particular subject does not discredit him as a whole – as a person.
I truly appreciate all of your comments! The most wonderful thing about blogging is the sharing of opinions. Thank you for sharing yours. Did it sway mine, no, but that's fine. I'll sum it up with the exclamation point provided by Anonymous: "...some ideas are worthy of tolerance and others aren't." Exactly my point...
The simple answer is: if the students don't want him, then the University should get someone to speak that they do want.
It's not that the University saw Expelled and decided not to let him speak.
It's that the students decided they didn't want to hear him speak, for one reason or another. It might be his boring and monotonous tone of voice, for instance. The only thing Ben Stein has ever moved me to do personally is use Clear Eye.
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