Yep. Here are a couple of examples of a Safe Place Sticker for LGBTQs. I had no idea they had special stickers!
Posted on 05/10/2008 3:05:38 AM PDT by Man50D
WTVG -- Crystal Dixon just received verbal notification from UT that she has been fired for speaking her opinion in a copy of the Toledo Free Press. A high-ranking University of Toledo administrator has been fired for speaking out. UT's associate vice president of human resources was put on paid administrative leave about 2 weeks ago after writing an opinion column in the Toledo Free Press. Crystal Dixon just received verbal notification from the University of Toledo that she has been fired. It's all for speaking her opinion in a copy of the Toledo Free Press. Doug Oliver has been teaching for 23 years. Now, for the first time, he says he's afraid to speak out. "All I know is what Dr. Jacobs wrote, and what he wrote sends a very clear message to me that I better be careful about what I say that doesn't align with political views."
University president Lloyd Jacobs expressed his views in an article in the Toledo Free Press. His column followed one written by the University's associate vice president of human resources, Crystal Dixon. Dixon ignited a debate about whether discrimination against gays is different from other forms of discrimination, including race. In her April 18th column Dixon wrote: "as a black woman... I take great umbrage at the notion that those choosing the homosexual life style are 'civil rights victims'. Here's why i cannot wake up tomorrow and not be a black woman." "I disagree with a number of those view points and I stated at least on the face of it. They aren't consistent with University stated values," says UT president Dr. Lloyd Jacobs. Meanwhile, Dixon is out of a job and some faculty members, like Oliver, say it's just because she voiced her opinion. Late this afternoon 13abc spoke with Crystal Dixon. She says her termination is clearly a violation of her 1st amendment right for free speech, religious discrimination, and race discrimination. Now she is pointing the finger at University leadership. "I am an alumnus. I have worked with a fantastic team. I absolutely love the people I work with and I am disappointed in this and disappointed absolutely. Is this a lack of courageous leadership on the part of the unive
This is going to be a jackpot case for Crystal Dixon and her legal team. Crystal Dixon is going to find a dozen top notch lawfirms offering pro bono representation for this case if she’s willing to put her name to a lawsuit demanding millios in compensation.
This university president at best could offer profuse apologies and tender his resignation as of the conclusion the end of the fall term, anything less and the university is going to lose millions in settlement costs.
Imagine if you will, this sticker on a college campus:
“This zone has been declared safe for individuals who are conservative, Christian, freedom-loving, and questioning whether liberalism is the worst form of bigotry to express themselves and know they will be treated with respect.”
It will never happen.
If this dismissal stands, then the State Board that oversees higher level education should consider lifting the tax exempt non-profit status of that University. There is no public good that can come from such abusive leadership, hence no public minded reason to continue to subsidize the organization with tax exemption.
Here’s my E-mail to Jacob:
Dear Sir,
I just became aware of the termination of Miss Dixon for having shared an OPINION in the Toledo Free Press.
First...lets start with a simple definition:
“Fascism
A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.” - American Heritage Dictionary
You have created a “chilled” atmosphere where people are now afraid to exercise their rights under the 1st Amendment to free speech for fear of retribution through loss of employment.
My son was seriously considering enrolling at UT for the upcoming semester....I have informed him that this will no longer be an acceptable choice....he will be instead be enrolled at Owens.
I will not spend one dime of my hard earned “prole” dollars at an institution that practices Fascist policies of intimidation for opinions not deemed “acceptable” or politically correct, while at the very same time coddling the most vile and outrageous behavior by anti-war activists on campus.
Have fun with the coming Media storm and national spotlight highlighting yet another embarrassment for North Western Ohio
You have become the very model of all that academics claim to decry...A thug in a position of power.....Well Done!.
Most sincerely,
Russell S. Crim
Toledo,Ohio.
Not quite. While I agree with her position, the First Amendment says "Congress shall make no law..." It does not say that you can publish your opinions without consequence, only that the government cannot prevent you from speaking out (Need I also point out that there is no mention of "race discrimination"?).
"I disagree with a number of those view points and I stated at least on the face of it. They aren't consistent with University stated values," says UT president Dr. Lloyd Jacobs.
So if you publish your opinion contrary to the stated values of your employer in the University paper, be prepared to accept the consequences. Invoking the First amendment just shows your ignorance. After all, you were allowed to publish your views and are still free to do so. There are better arguments to be made for academic freedom of thought, and throwing race into the mix is counter productive, IMO.
Homosexuality is a developmental disorder of sexual differentiation, sort of like being Peter Pan and not growing up, only with a sexual twist. Declaring it an "alternative lifestyle" and allowing these people to go untreated is barbaric, somewhat like allowing our mentally ill to wander the streets unmedicated and defecating on themselves, again, to a matter of degree.
To any gays that may read this, I'm not homophobic. I'm not scared of homosexuals, because I'm a "true believer" hetero, and heavily armed (last statement was true, but satire).
What's frustrating is that McCaiin will too.
The Toledo free press isnt a “university” paper...
I don't see any evidence that Mrs. Dixon is a socialist professional victim. Many Freepers agree with and applaud the points of her editorial.
Homosexuality is the issue being used as the battering ram to eliminate free speech, freedom of religion and freedom of association.
This firing along with the recent decision in New Mexico by a human rights commission to fine a Christian photographer for declining to shoot a gay wedding ceremony is evidence of where this nation is headed unless enough people rise up and demand this sort of tyranny stop.
Whether he can be trusted to accomplish that is debatable.
You're gonna' love U.S. Attorney General Janet Napolitano!
Watch This YouTube Video...
>>> I don’t see any evidence that Mrs. Dixon is a socialist professional victim. Many Freepers agree with and applaud the points of her editorial.
1) She immediately threw down the race card “as a Black woman” when her opinion was challenged.
2) She is the one who invoked the ‘civil rights victims’ contest between gays and blacks in her article.
3) She is a ‘human resources’ Vice President in an administration of left leaning bureaucrats that has ‘safe zones’ for protected classes of students and espouses ‘diversity’ - code word for affirmative action hires.
I believe that she was offended that gays some how trumped her standing in the pecking order of ‘civil rights victims’ and spoke out. I do not see any rationale in her editorial that even mentions religion.
“After all, you were allowed to publish your views and are still free to do so. “
Theoretically, yes. In practice, no, because the consequence of doing so is so deleterious that it effectively stifles opinion. What this implies is that the only ones who can have free speech are those whose views are in vogue (and hence immune to criticism) and those whose personal circumstance allow them to take whatever penalties may be imposed. The rest of us just have to shut up and pay our taxes. As far as my thinking goes that is just not an acceptable situation.
I suppose you could always publish your opinions anonymously, but then, why should you have to do that? Does the fact that this person is black, christian, female and unsupportive of a University policy make her any worse at her actual job? Of course not, but those should be the only grounds for dismissal, especially in a University.
Anyway, if the university policy is above criticism, how can it ever change? Does the university have so much hubris they consider their “value system” utterly definitive?
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