Adams: So you're a feminist?...Isn't that cute

It has recently come to my attention that a feminist student at UNCW has taken offense to a sticker on my office door which reads "So you're a feminist . . . Isn't that cute." I found this out after obtaining a copy of a letter her father wrote to you, the Board of Trustees. I could comment at some length on the obvious hypocrisy of this student's decision to ask her father to defend feminism for her, but I won't. Let me get straight to the point: I did not put that sticker on my office door.

This terrible misunderstanding is all the result of an experiment on diversity and tolerance that I decided to undertake several years ago. It all started when I noticed that a colleague of mine had a "Mondale/Ferraro '84" sticker on the filing cabinet in her office. I also noticed that another colleague had one posted on the front of his office desk.

Remembering that the university has a provision specifically prohibiting faculty from using "University funds, services, supplies, vehicles, or other property to support or oppose the candidacy of any person for elective public office . . ." I decided to initiate my experiment.

First, I placed a "Clinton/Gore '96" sticker prominently on my office door to see if anyone would take offense. After two years without any complaints, I decided to replace the sticker with one that said "George W. Bush for President." Within a few weeks I heard reports from two faculty members and one staff member saying that someone was preparing to file a complaint about the Bush sticker.

Since the faculty handbook specifies "appropriate disciplinary action, including discharge from employment" as one possible consequence of violating the aforementioned rule, I decided it was time to let the faculty in on my little experiment. I did this by sending an e-mail to everyone in the building which began as follows: "You have all been involved in an experiment in tolerance which, unfortunately, some of you have failed . . ."

As you can imagine, the "liberal" Democrat who was conspiring to punish me for the Bush sticker decided to let the matter go. But, for me, the First Amendment fun was just beginning. After one animal rights activist heard about my little prank, she came by the office for a laugh. I put up an "I Love Animals. . . They're Delicious" sticker just for her. Some liberals really do have a sense of humor, you know.

Of course, others don't. After one of my feminist colleagues came by to say that she didn't mind my stickers as long as I didn't post anything "pro-life," I had to respond. That explains the picture on my door showing a newborn baby with "Is this the face of the enemy?" printed above his forehead. If you come by my office, you can't miss it. It's in bold letters.

There is one more thing I have to tell you before I reveal the source of the sticker that sparked this whole exchange. I have turned my door into a campus "free speech zone" by inviting all of my students to put their own bumper stickers on the door. That explains why most of the stickers aren't mine. It also explains why some seem to contradict others. For example, next to the "gay pride" sticker on my door, there is a giant pink one that reads "Heterophobia is a social disease." I will admit to making that one, by the way.

But I had absolutely nothing to do with the "Vagina Monologues" sticker or the picture of Saddam Hussein below it. You may want to contact the Office of Diversity about those. Or maybe the Department of Middle Eastern Studies.

But back to the issue of the offended parent. If you would like, I can have the non-feminist student who placed the allegedly anti-feminist sticker on my door contact the feminist student who took offense. She would be glad to claim responsibility. Or perhaps her daddy can call the feminist's daddy and work everything out.

As for me, it's time to turn to some broader issues such as fostering an appreciation for freedom of expression at our university. In fact, pretty soon you will be receiving my new proposal for First Amendment sensitivity training sessions for UNCW faculty and students. I might even amend the proposal to include parents as well.

As for encouraging the easily offended to approach college with a sense of humor, I haven't found a solution for that one. I guess all we can do is lead by example.

Dr. Mike S. Adams (adams_mike@hotmail.com), a frequent Townhall.com contributor, is an associate professor at UNC-Wilmington and is currently writing a book entitled "Welcome to the Ivory Tower of Babel." He's looking for a publisher. His hints are even less subtle than his commentaries.

Adams: So you're a feminist?...Isn't that cute
Townhall.com ^ | 5-27-03 | Mike S. Adams

Posted on 05/26/2003 11:17 PM CDT by cgk

So you're a feminist?...Isn't that cute
Mike S. Adams (archive)

May 27, 2003 | Print | Send

Dear UNC-Wilmington Board of Trustees:

It has recently come to my attention that a feminist student at UNCW has taken offense to a sticker on my office door which reads "So you're a feminist . . . Isn't that cute." I found this out after obtaining a copy of a letter her father wrote to you, the Board of Trustees. I could comment at some length on the obvious hypocrisy of this student's decision to ask her father to defend feminism for her, but I won't. Let me get straight to the point: I did not put that sticker on my office door.

This terrible misunderstanding is all the result of an experiment on diversity and tolerance that I decided to undertake several years ago. It all started when I noticed that a colleague of mine had a "Mondale/Ferraro '84" sticker on the filing cabinet in her office. I also noticed that another colleague had one posted on the front of his office desk.

Remembering that the university has a provision specifically prohibiting faculty from using "University funds, services, supplies, vehicles, or other property to support or oppose the candidacy of any person for elective public office . . ." I decided to initiate my experiment.

First, I placed a "Clinton/Gore '96" sticker prominently on my office door to see if anyone would take offense. After two years without any complaints, I decided to replace the sticker with one that said "George W. Bush for President." Within a few weeks I heard reports from two faculty members and one staff member saying that someone was preparing to file a complaint about the Bush sticker.

Since the faculty handbook specifies "appropriate disciplinary action, including discharge from employment" as one possible consequence of violating the aforementioned rule, I decided it was time to let the faculty in on my little experiment. I did this by sending an e-mail to everyone in the building which began as follows: "You have all been involved in an experiment in tolerance which, unfortunately, some of you have failed . . ."

As you can imagine, the "liberal" Democrat who was conspiring to punish me for the Bush sticker decided to let the matter go. But, for me, the First Amendment fun was just beginning. After one animal rights activist heard about my little prank, she came by the office for a laugh. I put up an "I Love Animals. . . They're Delicious" sticker just for her. Some liberals really do have a sense of humor, you know.

Of course, others don't. After one of my feminist colleagues came by to say that she didn't mind my stickers as long as I didn't post anything "pro-life," I had to respond. That explains the picture on my door showing a newborn baby with "Is this the face of the enemy?" printed above his forehead. If you come by my office, you can't miss it. It's in bold letters.

There is one more thing I have to tell you before I reveal the source of the sticker that sparked this whole exchange. I have turned my door into a campus "free speech zone" by inviting all of my students to put their own bumper stickers on the door. That explains why most of the stickers aren't mine. It also explains why some seem to contradict others. For example, next to the "gay pride" sticker on my door, there is a giant pink one that reads "Heterophobia is a social disease." I will admit to making that one, by the way.

But I had absolutely nothing to do with the "Vagina Monologues" sticker or the picture of Saddam Hussein below it. You may want to contact the Office of Diversity about those. Or maybe the Department of Middle Eastern Studies.

But back to the issue of the offended parent. If you would like, I can have the non-feminist student who placed the allegedly anti-feminist sticker on my door contact the feminist student who took offense. She would be glad to claim responsibility. Or perhaps her daddy can call the feminist's daddy and work everything out.

As for me, it's time to turn to some broader issues such as fostering an appreciation for freedom of expression at our university. In fact, pretty soon you will be receiving my new proposal for First Amendment sensitivity training sessions for UNCW faculty and students. I might even amend the proposal to include parents as well.

As for encouraging the easily offended to approach college with a sense of humor, I haven't found a solution for that one. I guess all we can do is lead by example.

Dr. Mike S. Adams (adams_mike@hotmail.com), a frequent Townhall.com contributor, is an associate professor at UNC-Wilmington and is currently writing a book entitled "Welcome to the Ivory Tower of Babel." He's looking for a publisher. His hints are even less subtle than his commentaries.

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