William and Mary Allows 2nd Bake Sale- Cites Technicality

College of William and Mary Website ^ | 1/27/04 | Timothy Sullivan

[maluka23]

William and Mary is strongly committed to freedom of expression under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. For that reason, the College has approved the request of a student group calling itself the Sons of Liberty to conduct a protest against affirmative action in the University Center. A similar event, held last semester, did not meet the administrative requirements we routinely impose on such activities. The application for Tuesday’s event did.

The right to freedom of expression belongs to every member of this community, including the President. I am exercising that right by writing this letter. Members of the Sons of Liberty have announced their views on the subject of affirmative action, which I do not share. They are entitled to their opinion, however mistaken I believe it to be.

What I find personally offensive is the manner in which they have chosen to express their views. The "bake sale" with racially differentiated prices that they hold today is inexcusably hurtful to members of this community whose presence here is welcome and critically important to the quality of our life together. Those who have chosen this abusive method of self-expression will have not a few occasions in later life to look back with regret on what they have done.

The wealth of skills, talents, backgrounds, races and interests our students bring to campus is itself an important element in our learning environment. Every student admitted to the College of William and Mary is qualified to be here. Our students’ record of success demonstrates that conclusively.

As a university community, we take the actions of the Sons of Liberty in the spirit of Jefferson’s comment about freedom of thought: “Here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error, as long as reason is left free to combat it.”

Timothy J. Sullivan President

[maluka23]

Sullivan released this position paper in response to the 2nd bake sale of the Libertarian group the Sons of Liberty. W&M administrators shut down a previous sale in November. Information on that sale can be found here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1021855/posts

Sullivan's citation of a technicality completely contradicts Asst. VP Mark Constantine's comments that the first sale was shut down because of the sale's price scheme. The second sale was nearly identical. FIRE plans to issue a press release any day now.

[July 4th]

The "bake sale" university with racially differentiated prices admission that they hold exists today is inexcusably hurtful to members of this community whose presence here is welcome and critically important to the quality of our life together.

[farmfriend]

Timothy J. Sullivan President

What an @ss!

[Live free or die]

If I hadn't withdrawn from this semester to go to Afghanistan I'd be right in there with these guys. My girlfriend lives in Landrum Hall so I think I'll take her over there. Hee hee.

[SoL- Samuel Adams]

What's more troubling is that despite repeated attempts by Sons of Liberty and others outside of the group to contact Sam Sadler and Mark Constantine to get a straight answer from them as to what policy Sons of Liberty violated at the first sale, no such answer was given. Constantine stated that referring to the Student Handbook (after he used it to censor the first sale) was 'conterproductive.' Sam Sadler was evasive and played dumb when confronted with specific demands for what policies the College used to suppress the first sale.

Now, at a second sale meant where Sons of Liberty were standing up for free speech and right to engage in satirical protest (i.e. the first sale) Sullivan comes out saying that not only was the College justified in shutting down the first sale, but that it was justified based on some mysterious policy that the administration itself still has not specified in almost three months of inquiry.

This is absolutely ridiculous. As maluka23 said, look for a FIRE update in the next day or two pertaining to this. If Sullivan insists that he protects the First Amendment while then defending censorship on a ghost policy, he is at best a hypocrite. This isn't over yet.

[ccmay]

Those who have chosen this abusive method of self-expression will have not a few occasions in later life to look back with regret on what they have done.

That sounds like a threat to me. Does this petty ivory-tower tyrant plan to put something in their official file?

--ccm

[Grammy]

" Those who have chosen this abusive method of self-expression will have not a few occasions in later life to look back with regret on what they have done."

Does he regret that this bake sale mirrors their admission policy? Why is the SOL method of self-expression abusive and his admission policy not? Go get 'em boys... we're proud of you.

[GeronL]

Applications for freedom of expression are next to the applications for free speech, just near the ones for freedom of religion....

[GeronL]

check #8

[Coop]

Completely goes right over the head of this president, doesn't it? LOL

[Redbob]

"As a university community, we take the actions of the Sons of Liberty in the spirit of Jefferson’s comment about freedom of thought:..."

"Having unsuccessfully exhausted all other means of suppressing their freedom of speech."

[End Times Sentinel]

"Keep your powder dry, FRiend" ping...

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[HenryLeeII]

Sam Sadler was evasive and played dumb when confronted with specific demands...

Sam wasn't playing, it comes naturally to him.

[HenryLeeII]

Live free or die:
Please contact Freeper kevinjdeanna at kjdean@wm.edu - he's a Sig Ep at William & Larry, I mean Wilma & Mary, umm, W&M, who has a duplicate thread of this story. He's trying to round up Peninsula-area Freepers who can attend/help out.

[maluka23]

Just wanted to let you know that a story on the sale can be found at:

https://www.sin.wm.edu/modules/dsjnews/article.php?id=0

[HenryLeeII]

Thanks for the ping, and check your Freepmail...

[TaxRelief]

So do Mexicans get to use "fake" currency like the matricula dollar?

[Gefreiter]

I see some "double-secret probation" in the near future...

[Kenton]

(Sullivan stated: "What I find personally offensive is the manner in which they have chosen to express their views."

Well perhaps they should have expressed their views like the leftwing student activists of the '60s, by taking over your office and shutting the university down. To me, the bake sale is satire at it's finest, because it retains a sense of humor about the subject, something you seem to have forgotten.

The "bake sale" with racially differentiated prices that they hold today is inexcusably hurtful to members of this community whose presence here is welcome and critically important to the quality of our life together.

OK, you win the prize for meaningless gobbledygook with that one... let's just pick it apart for you.

"inexcusably hurtful" = Why? How does questioning the policies of campus authorities hurt anybody? You allow the lefties to do that with impunity. Is it more "excusably hurtful" if it's leftwingers slandering conservatives?

Those who have chosen this abusive method of self-expression

Abusive method of self-expression? You mean compared to burning the flag, or passing off a crucifix submersed in urine as an artistic social statement? I mean, please! Say what you mean, which is more like "I'm really pissed that this bunch of conservative students have been able to use the First Amendment like it applied to them too!"

....will have not a few occasions in later life to look back with regret on what they have done.

Translation: You punks don't have that degree YET, and this will go into your PERMANENT RECORD!

[AppyPappy]

What I find personally offensive is the manner in which they have chosen to express their views.

Let me guess: Old white guy.