Recently, students at Butler University were told to disregard their American-ness, male-ness, white-ness, heterosexual-ness and middle-class status when writing or speaking in a classroom. (This is where you would hear that confused Scoobie-Doo sound.)
The small liberal arts college thinks students should use language that is inclusive because, and I quote, “Inclusive language is a fundamental issue of social justice.”
According to the syllabus, “Language that is truly inclusive affirms sexuality, racial and ethnic backgrounds, stages of maturity, and degrees of limiting conditions,” referencing a definition created by the United Church of Christ. This is a very liberal church. It supports same-sex marriage, which is not accepted by most mainstream churches.
I never went to college, and after some of the things I am reading about what goes on there, thank God I didn’t. Look, educational organizations should do just that – educate. Reading, writing, math, real history, and so on. I am not interested in what you, Ms. Professor, believe is American-ness, male-ness, white-ness, heterosexual-ness, or any other “ness.” This kind of thing happens on campuses across the country.
Math professors teach their students that conservatives are out of touch with mainstream America. Really. Is there an algebraic equation for that? No. Then shut up and teach math.
A history professor decided the Boston Tea Party was a terrorist attack. Please! Stick to the facts. Those colonists who dressed up as Indians set out to kill whom? Those nasty little tea bags? Oh, the humanity.
Get real, people. Political correctness is running amok. Institutes of higher learning need to teach facts and only facts. They need to stir up thought with our young minds, not plant seeds of misinformation to move them to their liberal-left bent.
They need simply to teach, not indoctrinate.
To continue, the particular class that was called into question is being taught by a black female professor. Here is an educated black person who took advantage of all America has to offer its citizens and has been entrusted with helping our young people succeed, and she has decided to teach racism. If this were a conservative professor telling students to embrace their American-ness, male-ness, white-ness, heterosexual-ness or any other “ness” there would be an outcry on ABC, NBC, CBS, “60 Minutes,” the Ed Show, and Chris Mathews would be on a plane out here to start a picket line. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton would lock arms and call for the removal of the professor.
But alas, it was a liberal professor who happens to be black, telling white students to disregard their white-ness – so there will be nothing done because they are teaching the only truth.
What a bunch of hypocrites. What gives them the right to think that my American-ness, male-ness, white-ness, heterosexual-ness or any other “ness,” including my middle-class-ness, is an impediment to me doing the right thing for people, for this country, and in my life? What gives them the right to decide that all those “ness”-es are proof that I’m not inclusive of all people?
Once again, the left is not being honest. This policy presumes that people who are white, male, American, middle-class heterosexuals are just bad for society.
Ms. Professor, you are wrong.
It’s actually my American-ness, male-ness, white-ness, heterosexual-ness or any other “ness” including my middle-class-ness that makes me more sensitive to those who are different from me.
My American-ness is what helps me understand how precious freedom is, and what was given for that freedom. It also makes me want to see oppressed people in other nations have access to the same rights and freedoms we have.
My male, white, heterosexual-ness is what I am. I can’t change that any more than the black, female professor can change her color or sex. For me to think any other way or to try is against nature itself.
As a white, male heterosexual I am aware of some of the open doors I have had that some minorities have not had – so I try to make sure I don’t wrong minorities and others who have had much to overcome in this great American nation.
But what’s great about his nation is that they can overcome. Anything is possible if you are willing to work hard and follow the rules – although I don’t know for how much longer.
So drop all of the excuses and get out there and succeed.
Joe Messina is host of The Real Side (TheRealSide.com), a nationally syndicated talk show that runs on AM-1220 KHTS radio and SCVTV [here]. He is also an elected member of the Hart School Board. His commentary publishes Mondays.
Stick to 3 R’s and Leave My ‘Ness’ Alone | Commentary by Joe Messina
