Stuart Taylor, in National Journal this morning, provides some additional details of the now-suspended indoctrination program at the University of Delaware. Resident assistants who were to lead the program were provided with a definition of racism:

"A RACIST: A racist is one who is both privileged and socialized on the basis of race by a white supremacist (racist) system. 'The term applies to all white people (i.e., people of European descent) living in the United States, regardless of class, gender, religion, culture, or sexuality. By this definition, people of color cannot be racists.' " [emphasis added]

People who've been discussing our little debate in the MOB would, since I'm pretty sure all of the discussants are white, are therefore arguing about racism as racists. Quite interesting, isn't it?

But Taylor goes on to highlight other elements of the "diversity facilitation training" for RAs.

Delaware students have been not only inculcated with the lunatic view that all white Americans are racists (and that "REVERSE RACISM" is a "term ... created and used by white people to deny their white privilege") but also:

* Told to confess their "privilege" or lament their "oppression";

* Informed that "white culture is a melting pot of greed, guys, guns, and god";

* Required to "recognize that systemic oppression exists in our society" and "recognize the benefits of dismantling systems of oppression" (whatever that means);

* Instructed to purge male residents' "resistance to educational efforts" and "concepts of traditional male identity";

* Challenged to "change their daily habits and consumer mentality" for the sake of "sustainability";

* Pushed to display on their dorm doors politically approved decorations proclaiming support for (e.g.) "social equity" (whatever that means);

* Subjected to other "treatments" designed to alter their beliefs and behaviors and inculcate university-approved views on politics, sexuality, moral philosophy, and more;

* Ordered to attend residence-hall training sessions and submit to one-on-one sessions with RAs, who filed reports to their superiors about individual students' "level of change or acceptance" of the thought-reform program.

I think I see a new t-shirt, not unlike the "Borders, Language, Culture" shirts that Michael Savage has made famous. "MOB: Greed, Guys, Guns, and God." I see a new campaign slogan.

(I might drop the 'guys' part, though; the Lady Logician and Lassie have provided the MOB with yeowoman service, to invent a word. Your suggestions invited.)

What should really bother the reader here is that we are lucky to have found this evidence in the Delaware case. Delaware is just unfortunate enough to have light seep through the cracks in the academic edifice. Res Life programs are not reviewed by a curriculum committee of faculty; they are imposed by administrators or student governments through an even more opaque process. There are more Delawares.

Labels: higher education, MOB