Reformer's Blog (September 2012)

Public university removes post calling traditional marriage amendment ‘hateful’

By Oliver Darcy, on September 28, 2012

Minnesota State University – Mankato (MSUM) may have violated state law when they described an upcoming proposition supporting traditional marriage as “hateful” on one of their official Facebook pages.

In November, Minnesotans will be voting on a controversial amendment to the state constitution that would define marriage as between one man and one woman.

Students claim UC Berkeley is ‘corporate-motivated,’ trying to ‘privatize the university'

By Oliver Darcy, on September 27, 2012

Students at the University of California – Berkeley (Cal) on Thursday protested against the school’s administration claiming it is attempting to “privatize the university by subcontracting out union jobs.”

“The students and workers at Cal are adamantly opposed to this corporate-motivated management of workers and will do all that we can to spread the injustice of the administration’s actions,” reads a statement put out by an event organizer last week.

[VIDEO] Sandra Fluke Suggests Disdain for Health Care Mandate

By Joseph Dozier, on September 27, 2012

Sandra Fluke on Monday was caught on video expressing opposition to the controversial mandate which is a cornerstone of the President Obama's landmark health care reform legislation.

College Professor: Conservatives injecting presidential politics with race

By Linnie Leavines, on September 26, 2012

A prominent university professor on Tuesday attacked conservatives, suggesting they have intentionally charged the ongoing presidential election with issues of race.

[VIDEO] University Professor: Conservatives dislike Obama because he is black

By Oliver Darcy, on September 25, 2012

A prominent university professor delivered a speech last week in which she accused conservatives of disliking President Obama because of his race.

“No one predicted the virulence of this hostility to Obama,” Professor Linda Gordon of New York University said, speaking before a crowd of students. “I believe that much of it is racial and that it is compounded by his rational, considered, intellectual style.”

[VIDEO] Florida prof: Stand Your Ground law exists because Floridians 'fear black men as dangerous'

By Nicolas Tomboulides, on September 25, 2012

A university professor last month told students that the controversial "stand your ground" law, which became famous after the slaying of Florida youth Trayvon Martin, exists because Floridians "fear" African Americans.

"Why do we have this law?," asked Professor Vibert White, who teaches at the University of Central Florida. "Sadly, in Florida--historically--we fear African-American men as being dangerous."

VIDEO: SMU Administrators Censor Conservative Student’s Protest of Sandra Fluke

By Tony Listi, on September 25, 2012

Last night at Southern Methodist University’s Sandra Fluke event, the SMU police and administration shut down the free speech of Nick Goulding, a conservative freshman at SMU. The incident was captured on video.

Illinois State University under fire for restrictive speech code

By Linnie Leavines, on September 24, 2012

Illinois State University (ISU) is under fire from a student's rights group for language in its student code that demands student conform their behavior  to "the needs of the university" including an "appreciation of diversity."

ISU's student code describes certain "non-negotiable" standards to which student are required to take on the "values of the university."

University of Tennessee Defends Prayer Ritual Before Football Games

By Timothy Dionisopoulos, on September 24, 2012

WBIR-TV Knoxville reports the University of Tennessee is refusing to eliminate its tradition of praying before football games despite pressure from the Wisconsin based Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF).