Bake sale brings probation at GVSU

A cupcake sale intended as a satirical jab at affirmative action has resulted in probation for the College Republicans at Grand Valley State University.

The Student Organization Review Board notified the group Wednesday its March 21 "Affirmative Action Bake Sale" violated a university rule that requires financial transactions to be nondiscriminatory.

During the sale, three members of the group -- who have resigned -- applied affirmative action principles to cupcake pricing. The students offered the treats for $2 for white men, 75 cents for blacks and white women, 50 cents for Asians and Hispanics, and 5 cents for American Indians.

Following last Friday's misconduct hearing, the five-member review board decided to put the student group on probation until Dec. 1.

University President Mark Murray...stressed that the disciplinary action is not meant to stifle free speech. The problem, he said, was the discriminatory way the College Republicans went about making its argument.

What this loon is saying is that a parody which attacks the concept of "reverse discrimation" is in itself "discriminatory" because a minority (i.e. black) person might believe that the parody is directed at him/her. Under those standards, a sign which reads "affirmative action is unconstitutional and discriminatory" could also be defined "discriminatory", on the grounds that affirmative action is an article of faith to some minorities. The only apparent difference between the bake sale and my notional sign is that the students used humor (parody) to make a point about a "serious" subject.

"As much as it was an eye opener, it was worth doing. The university has basically said anyone who wants to do anything controversial will be sanctioned," Rausch said."

No Kyle, no. That is not the message of the University. The message is that conservative "free speech" satire will be punished.

"University President Mark Murray said the review board's decision was fair and stressed that the disciplinary action is not meant to stifle free speech."

Well, I'm not a University student nor do I play one on TV. And IMO, Mark Murray's comments amount to a steaming pile of:

And I think of it as not so much a review board but rather a:

"In a prepared statement, the new leaders of the group explain that "the club did not support holding a bake sale with discounted prices as a parody of affirmative action. However, without proper support, individuals went forward with such a bake sale."

"The group also apologized "that individuals using our club's name failed to adhere to university policies."

Imagine that. The University of Michigan went to court to defend discriminatory admissions policies based on race. I would think that the bake sale was in perfect alignment with that philosophy. I wonder why I suspect that the officials of Grand Valley State University would probably support the actions of the University of Michigan, but would then turn around and condemn the "free speech satire" of that policy by a college political group. Gosh, I would be shocked to learn if it were true!

It wasn't a matter of receiving "proper support." Free speech is already supported by the First Amendment. But we have a First Amendment because people understood that Free Speech isn't free. It had to be fought for, people suffered, and people died by the thousands. The "new leaders of the group" are "rhymes with" wussies. They are a disappointment.

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