At All Times, Dignity

California State University, Los Angeles, where the life of the mind is a thing to behold: 

It all started when CSULA’s branch of Young Americans for Freedom, a conservative youth organisation, announced that [conservative author Ben] Shapiro would be appearing for a lecture titled “When Diversity Becomes a Problem.” The lecture will discuss topics like Black Lives Matter, microaggressions and trigger warnings, and whether they pose a threat to freedom of speech. Ironically, several students and faculty have reacted to the notion they want to stifle free speech by savagely attacking the event, with some of them arguing it should be shut down.

In short, the standard obliviousness. But then things got a little heated:

One of those aggressively denouncing the event is Robert Weide, an assistant professor of sociology at the school. Weide posted a comment on the event’s Facebook page accusing “Young Americans for Liberty” [sic] of being a group of “white supremacists” looking to intimidate “POC” (people of colour), and predicted they would need police protection at their event to protect themselves from mob violence.

Yes, it turns out that if you dare to question the premise of microaggressions, you will be called names and there will be shoving and punching. 

Weide became enmeshed in a long-running, extremely bitter argument with supporters of the event, both on-campus and off. In the process, he repeatedly accused his opponents of “white supremacy,” and at one point suggested they show up at CSULA’s campus gym for a fight. But they had best be careful before accepting the challenge, he warned, saying “I lift bro.”

If we’re doing the whole chest-puffing thing with lecturers in sociology picking fights with students who happen to disagree - and apparently we are - why settle for just punching each other? So uncouth. Pistols at dawn, I say.

Update: 

The comments by students are scarcely less revealing than those of Dr Weide. One student, Jose Trinidad Castañeda III, declares that he is “emailing the Dean of Students,” who “must be made aware this event is fuelling hostility and polarising the students.” Which is to say, the current monopoly of opinion is likely to be challenged by an invited speaker. And it seems that in progressive circles this is not to be permitted. Another student, Cecelia Villarreal, asks, “How is this hostile event acceptable on our campus?” She then announces, “I think it poses a threat to campus safety.” Because an author’s speaking engagement can be deemed “hostile” and hazardous weeks before it even happens and without knowing what exactly may be said. As I can’t readily imagine Mr Shapiro kicking off and challenging students to a fistfight, I’m tempted to wonder from where the alleged “threat to campus safety” will come.

Dr Weide, meanwhile, claims that even the title of event – “When Diversity Becomes a Problem” – is a “less than subtle attempt to intimidate people of colour on our campus.” This is immediately followed by intimations of thuggery and a prediction that the organisers and their guest will need the protection of campus security. Our fearless, selfless academic is currently denouncing the speaking engagement as a “racist neo-fascist event” - despite offering no evidence whatsoever of the invited speaker’s supposedly racist motives. However, Dr Weide finds time to signal his own moral immensity: “I will always defend you,” says he to the entire student population. “Now and forever.” If that sounds like narcissism, you may well be right.

Dr Weide’s attitude is of course a perfect illustration of the ugly rhetorical tactics that Mr Shapiro writes about. By pre-emptively denouncing those who disagree as bad people, as racists, fascists, haters, etc., and doing so irrespective of evidence or reasonable inference, the denouncer short circuits any attempt to address the actual issue of whether “diversity” ideology is entirely benign – say, by shutting down discussions before they can happen - while simultaneously elevating himself as a good person, a champion of the downtrodden. (“I will always defend you.”) Indeed Dr Weide is so keen to frame himself as an opponent of all the evils in the world that he’s willing to smear random strangers and even his own students as “white supremacists.”

As dicentra notes in the comments, if the pre-emptive accusations are implausible and bizarre, at least to those outside the “social justice” bubble, this doesn’t really matter. Ditto the lurid projection and inversion of meaning, whereby victimhood is professed with hints of mob intimidation, and “diversity” comes to mean intolerant conformity. What matters is the shortcut to piety, or pseudo-piety. It’s a piety that’s lazy, bogus and unearned, and fundamentally insincere; but hey, for some that’s good enough. It’s both a badge of status and a viable weapon.

Update 2:

Via the comments, more on Dr Weide and his charming personality:

Dr Weide immediately tore down the flyers we had just placed and ordered us to stand still… He then proceeded to call us “fascists” for simply promoting an alternative viewpoint and tried to blame us for “death threats” that he’d received… [He] continued to tell this administrator that we were “intimidating him” by putting up flyers… As the conversation progressed, the administrator actually had to tell Dr Weide to “calm down” numerous times, for he was getting visibly angrier as time went on.

Do read the whole thing.

Update 3: 

Videos of Dr Weide’s progressive protégés and their, um, physical vigorousness can be found here. See also the second item here. 

When you’ve seen the footage of these righteous intellectuals acting out their values, it may be worth bearing in mind that the Clown Quarter of academia is the left’s proving ground and fiefdom, a place where leftist ideas are developed, institutionalised and prevail all but unopposed. It’s a taster of their idealised, corrected, more compassionate society. And as such, it tells us quite a lot about who they are, and who they would be, given power.

Oh look. A button. I wonder what it does. 

Comments

[Anna]

"I need some muscle over here."

[Anna]

Forgot link...

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article56443200.html

[David]

“I need some muscle over here.”

Well, you can’t make a “social justice” omelette without breaking a few heads. Sorry, eggs. And as we learned recently, even questioning the premise of microaggressions is itself now deemed a microaggression and therefore impermissible.

[Atempdog]

Swarms gotta swarm.

[NielsR]

It's hard to make out the threatened diversity under the cries of 'Conform! Conform!'

It would be epic if Shapiro and the YAF publish an email chain showing that there was never a speech, that the title was chosen to generate the response that demonstrates the problem. A sort of performance piece on SJW intolerance, thereby trolling the SJWs and the 'artists' at the same time.

[GC]

professor of (((sociology)))

[Stuart Lord]

David- like so many long on passion but short on a clue, they fill the void between the two with wind and fists.

[David]

long on passion but short on a clue

Yes, if you follow the links the exchange is quite juvenile. So far as I can tell, Dr Weide doesn’t pause to explain why he thinks the students in question are “white supremacists” and a menace to “people of colour.” But apparently, if you invite a Jewish author to speak on campus and take part in a debate, an author who challenges the assumptions of “white privilege” and an allegedly all-pervasive “white supremacy,” then you must be a white supremacist. Because feels.

[Watcher In The Dark]

We have no need to spend zillions to discover what life is like beyond our own world. We only need to travel to the Planet Academia to see strange creatures, weird habits and unappealing behaviour.

[Joan]

an author who challenges the assumptions of “white privilege” and an allegedly all-pervasive “white supremacy,”

He's using facts and logic. We must PUNISH HIM!

[David]

He’s using facts and logic. We must PUNISH HIM!

And remember, this is the behaviour – the intellectual standard – of an assistant professor, a professional educator. This is what now passes for good enough.

[David]

Speaking of academia.

[Stuart Lord]

speaking of academia

Seriously. It's like gnats being upheld on the shoulders of giants talking about giant privilege. Honestly, if they found a quote that had gender diversity too, someone would bring up religious or non-religious diversity that was the issue.Or ableism. Or animal rights.

The future in these infants hands will be a blank multicoloured brick wall, which they will admire while wondering why demagogues seemed so popular these days.

The biggest problem with it is that fighting this sort of diversity monomaniacs takes up so much time and effort when most people also have to be doing those little things like working, raising a family and paying taxes to fund these dorks. I think they mainly get away with it because its easier to throw some change and walk away somewhere else than it is to withstand the venom and spittle. Plus they might have beetles or something.

[R. Sherman]

Speaking of academia . . .

It seems there's method in these twits' madness. Simply put, they desire to eliminate history and act if all current thought and social structure sprang fully formed from the head of Judith Butler last week. Seeing MLK's quote every day and pondering the circumstances which led to it would necessitate concluding that current campus crusades for "social justice" predicated upon crappy shitty banh mi and the like are a tad overwrought.

[JuliaM]

Is anyone else imagining the 'fight' scene from 'West Side Story' now? Because I am!

[Kauf Buch]

AND...speaking of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MhfKRiyvk4
DIGNITY...

[Greg]

“I lift bro.”

As South Park's PC Principal explained to his fraternity bros:

"'What does being PC really mean?' Well, I’ll tell you what it means. It means you love nothin’ more than beer, workin’ out, and that feelin’ you get when you rhetorically defend a marginalized community from systems of oppression."

[PiperPaul]

"I think they mainly get away with it because its easier to throw some change and walk away somewhere else than it is to withstand the venom and spittle."

Yes, and unfortunately this reaction only encourages more loathsome behaviour.

[WTP]

he warned, saying “I lift bro.”

This is how college professors talk now. And when reviewing resumes for hamburger flipper openings, the store manager is supposed to take your diploma seriously?

[David]

He’s using facts and logic. We must PUNISH HIM!

Well, you can see why Dr Weide would be miffed, what with those beastly statistics and everything, coming from someone who isn’t cowed by baseless and gratuitous accusations of racism. Note that despite being invited to publicly debate Mr Shapiro immediately after his talk, our fearless sociology lecturer still wanted to stop anyone else hearing what Mr Shapiro might have to say, presumably for fear the students might make up their own minds.

At one point, Dr Weide says, “I’ll give it to them. Whoever is organising this on our campus has some gumption.” Yes, how very dare students invite a non-leftist to speak on “our” campus. Commenting on the attention drawn to his censorious ambitions, Dr Weide said, “Being targeted by the reactionary right wing media is an honour I sincerely relish.” Which makes me wonder just how welcoming to non-leftists his classes must be.

As Mr Shapiro noted in reply,

It’s utterly unsurprising that professors paid with taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate students in leftism get violently outraged when somebody tries to break that monopoly. This is how fascism operates: with ridiculous suggestions that free speech is ‘dangerous’ and with threats of actual violence if that free speech is then exercised.

Despite the threats, the talk is going ahead in the CSULA Student Union on February 25th. At which point, I’d imagine, video will be available.

[John D]

Dr Weide doesn’t pause to explain why he thinks the students in question are “white supremacists” and a menace to “people of colour.”

The students should sue Weide for slander. All of them.

[Rob]

He's still working there? Threatening students (and libelling them) is not a sackable offence?

[David]

And note that a fairly mainstream view, one supported by evidence, is now deemed “controversial.” At least on campus.

[mojo]

Never underestimate the power of mockery. Or of a well placed "fuck you" to an obnoxious professor.

Don't be afraid of scaredy-cat lefties. Talk is all they have.

[Farnsworth M Muldoon]

“I lift bro.”

Yes, however, I rather think a deputy chief assistant subaltern professor of sociology lifts like this, and not like Schwarzenegger in his better days.

[Sort-of-Mad Max]

From his 'Rate My Professors' page, a quote: "He constantly reminds us that we do not have to change to please others or to achieve our goals."

Reactionary!

[Spiny Norman]

Related.

Tilting at windmills is simply exhausting for the campus social justice warrior.

[Steveo40]

And on a similar note:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-35419500

[Whowonww2]

"Pistols at dawn, I say." It might actually be a good idea to bring back dueling. People might, just might, be a bit more circumspect on twitter.

[dicentra ن]

It's hard to make out the threatened diversity under the cries of 'Conform! Conform!'

This has never been about actual diversity.

This has never been about actual justice, social or otherwise.

This is about who is on Our Team and whether Our Team is dominating Them.

Don't be confused by their rhetoric, terminology, or claims about this principle or that.

DIVERSITY = A label that's applied to Our Team
SOCIAL JUSTICE = A label that's applied to Our Team
WHITE SUPREMACY = A label that's applied to Them
MICROAGGRESSIONS = A label that's applied to Them

That's exactly as deep as these labels go: the dictionary definitions and their applications to the real world are irrelevant.

Beyond irrelevant.

Dr Weide doesn’t pause to explain why he thinks the students in question are “white supremacists” and a menace to “people of colour.”

He doesn't think that at all.

He thinks that SAYING SUCH A THING is useful to his cause, which is to exercise dominion over his enemies.

He happens to be correct: Wielding language as a weapon instead of as a means of communication is highly effective. For one thing, it makes normal people waste time refuting (or mocking) the logic, veracity, and validity of his words instead of confronting him about his Will To Power.

With the classic [Leftist], language is used cruelly and ruthlessly to ensnare one's enemies ... to gain control, or to punish. Language is enslaved and forced to lie. The language is appropriated and expropriated. It is considered to be a weapon, an asset, a piece of lethal property, a traitorous mistress to be gang raped into submission. --Sam Vaknin, author, Malignant Self Love.

I am no longer amused by the inconsistencies; they are not a flaw but rather a clear indication that we're dealing with extremely malevolent entities.

Not crazy.

Not delusional.

Not irrational.

Not misguided.

Evil.

[Hal]

"I need some muscle over here."

Aaaand the current update on the University of Missouri wannabe Stützpunktleiter is that what she needs now is not just a lawyer, but now a paycheck as well . . .

[Jeff Guinn]

As it happens, I spent my freshman year at CSULA, before the walls were padded (except for the Anthropology Dept). Good times, good times.

As those of you who can't avoid the irrelevant might know, there is quite the kerfuffle in Tinsel Town (about 20 miles due west of CSULA) about this years monochromatic Academy Award nominees. In response, of the forelock tugging kind, the Academy has resolved to stop beating its minorities. Unfortunately, being problematic is problematic:

From an Academy member:

But now, perhaps, that [diversifying the Academy membership] may just be enough. Not only is the value of the Academy as a measuring stick for excellence in film lessened, but it will always raise the question: did one get in because of merit or because of race? For any person of diversity, this will always shadow their acceptance into this fine institution.

Guess what, Dr. Weide. The language police have spoken. Your use of "people of color" makes you a racist h8r.

We have already made a reservation for you at Proper Thoughts Camp.

(h/t Ace o' Spades)

(Steve 2 is back! Good thing, that. My will to live was flagging.)

[David]

This has never been about actual justice, social or otherwise. This is about who is on Our Team and whether Our Team is dominating Them.

It’s what every parent hopes for in a teacher. Dishonesty, delinquency and habitual bad faith.

Though the comments by students are no less revealing. One student, Jose Trinidad Castañeda III, declared that he was “emailing the Dean of Students,” who “must be made aware this event is fuelling hostility and polarising the students.” Which is to say, the aforementioned monopoly of opinion is likely to be challenged by an invited speaker. And this, apparently, is not to be permitted. Another student, Cecelia Villarreal, asked, “How is this hostile event acceptable on our campus?” Then declared, “I think it poses a threat to campus safety.” Apparently, an author’s speaking engagement can be deemed “hostile” weeks before it even happens and without knowing what exactly will be said. As I can’t readily imagine Mr Shapiro kicking off and challenging students to a fistfight, I’m tempted to wonder where the alleged “threat to campus safety” will come from.

Dr Weide claims that even the title of event – “When Diversity Becomes a Problem” – is a “less than subtle attempt to intimidate people of colour on our campus.” This lie is immediately followed by intimations of thuggery and a prediction that the organisers and their guest will need protection from campus police. Our fearless, selfless academic is currently denouncing Ben Shapiro’s speaking engagement as a “racist neo-fascist event” - despite offering no evidence whatsoever of racist motives, and despite the most overtly fascistic attitude being his own. “I will always defend you,” says he to the entire student population. “Now and forever.”

If that sounds like narcissism, you may well be right.

[David]

I scarcely need to point out that Dr Weide’s attitude is a perfect illustration of the ugly rhetorical tactics that Mr Shapiro writes about.

By pre-emptively denouncing those who disagree as bad people, as racists, fascists, haters, etc., and doing so irrespective of evidence or reasonable inference, the denouncer short circuits any attempt to address the actual issues – say, by shutting down discussions before they can happen - while simultaneously elevating himself as a good person, a champion of the downtrodden. (“I will always defend you.”) Indeed Dr Weide is so keen to frame himself as an opponent of all the evils in the world that he’s happy to slander random strangers and even his own students.

As dicentra notes above, if the pre-emptive accusations are implausible and bizarre, this doesn’t really matter. Ditto the lurid projection and inversion of meaning. What matters is the shortcut to piety, or pseudo-piety. It’s a piety that’s lazy, bogus and unearned, and fundamentally insincere, but hey, for some that’s good enough. It’s both a badge of status and a viable weapon.

[Liz]

However, Dr Weide finds time to signal his own moral immensity: “I will always defend you,” says he to the entire student population. “Now and forever.” If that sounds like narcissism, you may well be right.

That.

[David]

In no way related to anything at all.

[Rafi]

Dr Weide, meanwhile, claims that even the title of event – “When Diversity Becomes a Problem” – is a “less than subtle attempt to intimidate people of colour on our campus.”

I despair for the future of higher education.

[Matt]

Diversity in everything except ideas.

[David]

I despair for the future of higher education.

It doesn’t bode well, at least not for the Clown Quarter of academia. But if you make the university a place in which juvenile posturing and identitarian narcissism are not only badges of status but even a precondition of employment, with overtly sinister attempts to narrow the range of permissible thought, then you will repel a lot of talented people, while attracting a high proportion of dogmatic mediocrities.

[Tim Newman]

His Rate My Professor page is a hoot:

"awsome"

"Readings with summary papers due every week but allows you to make them up if you didn't do them or redo them to get a better grade. Allows you to redo your test to get a better grade. I highly recommend!"

"He is such a chill teacher. Class was easy."

"YES, TAKE THIS CLASS!!!!! I learned a lot! He explains the lessons in a way that is easy for you to learn. As long as you learn in class, you will pass the class."

"Has reasonable weekly assignments and the best deadlines. Topics are interesting ans related to every day life. Offers extra credit without having to do an extra summary about what you learned from the extra credit."

His popularity appears to stem in part from the fact that he dishes out credits without asking his students to do very much.

[Joan]

Instalanche! :-D

[David]

Instalanche!

Bugger. We need more chairs. And for God’s sake, put some coasters down.

[The People's Narcissistic, Righteous Champion-Defender Hero]

Do you even lift, bro?

http://www.collegehumor.com/post/6951595/buff-ass-kangaroo-wants-to-know-if-you-even-lift-bro

[mikee]

A gentleman does not duel with a commoner over a threat or an insult. A gentleman simply has one's stable hands waylay and thrash the offensive commoner, as a lesson not to bother the gentleman. YAF, the gentleman in this case, has not taken the appropriate action against those making threats and throwing insults. Perhaps they are being overly kind to the crude, unlearned sociologist, or perhaps they are just waiting for him to exit the gym and enter the locker rooms, where the discussion can continue more privately.

[David]

A gentleman simply has one’s stable hands waylay and thrash the offensive commoner, as a lesson not to bother the gentleman.

Your Guild of Evil™ amulet and membership card are in the post.

[rabbit]

Spew hostility when someone is scheduled to speak, and then ask the Dean of Students to stop the event because it's creating hostility.

Why didn't I think of that when I was s student?

[David]

Janice Fiamengo’s latest video, on feminist “scholarship,” may amuse.

[jabrwok]

Spew hostility when someone is scheduled to speak, and then ask the Dean of Students to stop the event because it's creating hostility.

It's a tried, though possibly not "true", tactic. The classic example consists of killing one's own parents and then pleading for mercy on the grounds that one is an orphan.

[Quint&Jessel, Sea of Azof, Bly, UK]

This idiot claims that Weide isn't his "real name," and his real name would scare white people. Ok, so why doesn't he just use his real name all the time?

[David]

This idiot claims that Weide isn't his “real name,” and his real name would scare white people.

What a swell guy. Not a bell-end at all.

[David]

Right, tomorrow’s ephemera is compiled and will materialise just after midnight. ‘Night, all.

[Spiny Norman]

The classic example consists of killing one's own parents and then pleading for mercy on the grounds that one is an orphan.

The Menendez brothers actually attempted this, as I recall. It worked with a few members of the general public, of the "gullible female" persuasion, but not with the judge and jury.

[Paul Nottingham]

Interesting little link here

http://www.socjobrumors.com/topic/gangsta-sociologist

[Quint&Jessel, Sea of Azof, Bly, UK]

Paul, your link reminds me of an alleged "gangsta" English professor I once knew. He swore up and down that he'd gone around puttin' the beatdown on people in LA, stabbing people, hitting them with boards and crowbars and stuff, being all tough and such. Last I knew, he'd been relieved of his teaching position for throwing a full can of Coke at a student, and was living with 3 "communists," all of whom also taught English (and badly). What a waste of time he was for all who knew him (I never believed he was a real gangsta anyway--I pointed out that all we had was his word for it, after all....)

[mojo]

Girl's night out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SZfznYgToc

[mojo]

PS: Does it have to be dawn? It's traditional, I know, but... say noon-ish?

[Spiny Norman]

Girl's night out

That was fun, mojo. ;^)

[dw]

Our fearless, selfless academic is currently denouncing the speaking engagement as a “racist neo-fascist event” - despite offering no evidence whatsoever of the invited speaker’s supposedly racist motives. However, Dr Weide finds time to signal his own moral immensity: “I will always defend you,” says he to the entire student population. “Now and forever.” If that sounds like narcissism, you may well be right.

As a parent with a daughter planning to go to university, it's worrying that she could end up being taught by someone a lot less mature than she is.

[David]

As a parent with a daughter planning to go to university, it’s worrying that she could end up being taught by someone a lot less mature than she is.

Well, I suppose you have to wonder what kind of grown man wants to spend so much time being ‘down’ with the teenagers, who by definition are unworldly and quite ignorant, and who ostentatiously participates in their “activism,” while trying to out-do them in juvenile piety. As role models go, one could hope for better.

[Si]

"PS: Does it have to be dawn? It's traditional, I know, but... say noon-ish?"

David taught me recently that turning up on time is a colonialist European construct that must be challenged, so we can arrange a time and then you can turn up whenever you like.
It's the Clown Quarter way.

[WTP]

His popularity appears to stem in part from the fact that he dishes out credits without asking his students to do very much.

Yeah. That's how the system works. The course is mostly BS and thus really unnecessary. So if the prof makes it easy enough, which is easy enough to do, he will create a demand for essentially nothing, for which said prof needs to do essentially nothing, and pass the "student" right along for doing essentially nothing. And since much of this is paid for with either your tax dollars or a "loan" which has little potential to ever perform, it's all just a charade. It's just welfare dressed up in the clothes of education.

And in the US I have yet to hear one presidential candidate dare to point this out. Instead all you hear is the "Democrat" and the socialist promise more and more of the same. The media pretends it's not there either, obviously. So in "reality", none of this is happening.

[WTP]

Meant to add, re dw's daughter about to attend college...not sure if this was implied in either your or David's comments, but I'd be very concerned that many of these Peter Pan profs are there for the relatively easy prey some young females tend to be.

[Jonathan]

If you want to see how a real Educator should behave, Mr Gormsby is your man:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOPuLucb7GA

[Dr Cromarty]

Meanwhile, in one of the highest ranked universities in the world, the beneficiaries of such a privileged education are self-dramatising that they're all but being lynched because for once university administrators didn't give in to their foot-stamping tantrum and take down a statue.

"The decision...reminds us that black lives are cheap at Oxford"
Ntokozo Qwabe, leader, Rhodes Must Fall in Oxford

Dry your eyes, princess

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/12130505/Provost-of-Oriel-College-faces-calls-to-quit-over-Cecil-Rhodes-statue-fiasco.html

[David]

Dry your eyes, princess

And yet these pompous little ingrates still expect to be given the man’s money and to benefit from the infrastructure and social status that money helps to maintain. Which, rather conveniently, isn’t tainted by all of the phantom dramas they claim to find so oppressive.

[Dr Cromarty]

Which, rather conveniently, isn’t tainted by all of the phantom dramas they claim to find so oppressive.

Yes, it must be hard living on The Front Line, i.e.an oak panelled study on a17th limestone quad, keepin' it real at five course college nights.

[Randy]

Reading about Dr. Weide's challenge to fight, for some reason, reminds me of the scene in the original Indiana Jones movie where the guy is whirling his sword about, Jones gets this disgusted look on his face, and shoots the guy.

[Hal]

Yes, it must be hard living on The Front Line . . .

[David]

A little update on Dr Weide and his, um, troubled personality:

Dr. Weide immediately tore down the flyers we had just placed and ordered us to stand still… He then proceeded to call us “fascists” for simply promoting an alternative viewpoint and tried to blame us for “death threats” that he’d received… [He] continued to tell this administrator that we were “intimidating him” by putting up flyers… As the conversation progressed, the administrator actually had to tell Dr. Weide to “calm down” numerous times, for he was getting visibly angrier as time went on.

Do read the whole thing. It gets worse.