‘The Obama administration has stepped up its enforcement of sexual harassment rules since 2010, starting with investigations that led to voluntary resolution agreements with Armstrong’s institution and Eastern Michigan University, escalating with high-profile inquiries at Yale University and the University of Notre Dame and a 2012 letter with regulatory guidance, and peaking this spring with a settlement with the University of Montana. The Montana case drew significant attention because, in a letter trumpeting the expansive and unusually aggressive agreement, the Justice Department characterized the settlement there as a “blueprint” for other colleges.’
I’m reminded of Sandra Fluke, and the rights-based victims, the Left-of-Center activist types, able to find common ground with this administration and its extension of civil rights logic as far as it will go:
The FIRE.org had a response. Full post here:
‘Among the forms of expression now punishable on America’s campuses by order of the federal government are:
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Any expression related to sexual topics that offends any person. This leaves a wide range of expressive activity—a campus performance of “The Vagina Monologues,” a presentation on safe sex practices, a debate about sexual morality, a discussion of gay marriage, or a classroom lecture on Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita—subject to discipline.
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Any sexually themed joke overheard by any person who finds that joke offensive for any reason.
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Any request for dates or any flirtation that is not welcomed by the recipient of such a request or flirtation.’
This can make bad, overbroad law, and create incentives to use our Federal Government as an enforcer of activism, awash in patronage, constantly expanding, and pursuing the rather narrower ideological aims of those seeking more power.
Related On This Site: Greg Lukianoff At FIRE.Org: ‘Emily Bazelon And The Danger Of Bringing “Anti-Bullying” Laws To Campus’
From Volokh: ‘Conservatives, Libertarians, and Civil Rights History’…Libertarianism In The Mainstream?: Rand Paul In The Spotlight…Thomas Sowell archives here.
What about black people held in bondage by the laws..the liberation theology of Rev Wright…the progressive vision and the folks over at the Nation gathered piously around John Brown’s body?: Milton Friedman Via Youtube: ‘Responsibility To The Poor’……Robert George And Cornel West At Bloggingheads: “The Scandal Of The Cross”…
Who are these people? Where do they come with this? Do any of them have a life? This Federal Government is far too big and common sense left the room decades ago.
Bernie, partly, they come out of the discontents of the 60’s and 60’s idealism. Real Leftists and radicals, but also the old Civil Rights apparatus that came out of the South like the NAACP, the black/Jewish alliance and feminists etc.
The Civil Rights freedom train is still rolling…with social justice and Rev Wright style liberation theology.
There are also progressives, European-style idealists, from Woodrow Wilson to FDR to LBJ onwards. Secular humanists and true-believers, human rights liberal internationalists.
Reminds me of all those sci-fi movies where humanoids dressed in unisex uniforms with colors tied to labor status, or class status and/or education status have been stripped of all initiative and humor and vitality no longer exists. On a positive personal note, I will not be here to see it! Hoo-ha
Bernie, no kidding. I think we’re at a high watermark politically now, but culturally, the drift is not looking good from where I stand.
That’s the spirit!
I’ll try and leave it a little better than I found it, or at least keep the ideologues and true-believers at bay, doing as little damage as possible.
The more you try to make things “fair” the less fairness you get.
And, of course, the less freedom you have.
Nick,
Exactly.
The next President is likely to name 2-3 Supreme Court justices, who will be examining the constitutionality of a variety of laws for the next few decades. Life, marriage, and religious freedom are all issues that are likely to land in front of the Supreme Court. … For fiscal, social, and national defense conservatives, judges are one issue that brings all conservatives together.
Frances: Your point is critically important and I hope being scrutinized by the Conservatives, regardless of party labels in Congress (GOP, Dems & Libertarians). The long range effects of those appointees will either bring this country back to a respect and adherence to the Constitution or have us gaining speed on the slide to a economy-busting Socialist/Progressive governance. It will be fascinating to watch the young Conservatives struggle to gain a candidacy in a political system that rewards age and wealth. It has been painful to watch the last two GOP candidates run campaigns. McCain was too old and Romney to disassociated with the voters.
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