Larry Ludwick <lludw…@gte.net> wrote:
>Mark Dallara wrote:
>> Au contraire… the clueless senator attempted to interfere with the
>> academic freedom of the university, and thwart the school’s right to
>> choose its own speakers.
>The Senator did not object to the speaker, he objected to the use of
>student
>activity fees to pay for the speaker. As a student who has to pay these
>involuntary student activity fees, I also object to their use for this
>purpose. If someone wants Mr. Louganis to speak at a function that’s
>fine
>with me, just don’t ask me to foot the bill.
If Grant wanted to take issue with speakers’ fees, he could have done it a
long time ago. While I was at the University of Florida, the school
entertained a number of controversial speakers, from all across the
spectrum. Felonious asshole Oliver North, and racist bitch Sistah Souljah
are just two examples, and all of them were paid in the same general
range, meaning $10,000 and up.
But Grant took issue with this particular speaker because of the topic.
"First of all, such a presentation represents moral decadence, and is an
embarrassment to the university community," his letter said. This
statement, of course, is Grant’s opinion, and I will certainly defend his
right to speak his mind.
But in the same letter he added, "I am going to be looking closely at
these kinds of fiscal abuses." THAT is where he crossed the line from
voicing his opinion to abuse of power. The message inherent in the letter
was: Choose speakers I like, or I’ll cut your funding. THAT is an
interference with the academic freedom of the university.
Consistency and content-neutrality are the keys to an honest criticism of
speakers’ fees. If $14,000 is too much to spend on a queer diver, then
it’s too much to spend on Leonard Nimoy, David Duke, or George Bush.
Grant can endorse lower fees, but he has no authority to pick and choose
the type of speaker than doesn’t get paid.
Right or wrong, the general theory of university activity fees is that
every enrolled student pays a certain amount (flat fee or per-credit) and
the school parcels out the money to various endeavors. No one student
ever benefits from or agrees with every activity fee expenditure. Lots of
money was spent at UF and at Memphis on activities and capital that I
couldn’t have cared less about, but my fees helped support them anyway.
Below is the email I received from Senator Grant, and my reply.
>Florida State Senator John Grant, R-Tampa
>610 W. Waters Ave.
>Suite A
>Tampa, FL 33604
>PH 813-975-6658
>FX 813-975-6688
>gra…@leg.mail.ufl.edu
>From: GRANT.JOHN.SEN(S13) at S3-NT023 1997/02/10 16:44
>Subject: Re: Senator Hypocrite responds about Louganis
>To: UFNET.MDALLARA at SSW
>cc: ANTRIM.CAROL(S13) at S3-NT023
>——————————– Message Contents ——————————
>I do think Nimoy should speek for free or be funded with non public monies.
>Don’t you understand that the issue is the fee, not the individual?
With all due respect, Senator, bullshit.
The issue is academic freedom, and you’re interfering with it. I’ve been
following the news stories and op-ed pieces about this controversy, and
your attempt to shift the focus is fooling nobody.
"First of all, such a presentation represents moral decadence, and is an
embarrassment to the university community… I am going to be looking
closely at these kinds of fiscal abuses." Do you remember writing those
words? That is a bullying attempt at censorship on a content basis, not a
fiscal basis, and it is entirely out of line.
Your job is to help decide how much money should be set aside for the
institutions in the State University System so that they can attract
speakers of import and interest. Once the money is in the hands of the
university students, faculty, and administration, THEY decide who gets
invited to speak at USF, and YOU don’t get a fucking vote.
You can say whatever you want about Louganis, about his sexuality, about
moral decadence, and so forth, but the second you try to keep anyone
from speaking on campus you are outside of your authority and are
thoroughly deserving of the verbal bitch-slapping that the press is now
giving you.
Sincerely,
Mark Dallara
(Member in good standing of the American Civil Liberties Union and the
Electronic Frontier Foundation, and registered voter in District 13)
mdall…@kcii.com
How do you feel about your body? Are you happy with it?