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2014-01-31_Podcast_Andrea.Kurth01187

It’s not an easy time to be a liberal arts professor in Texas. What with the incessant demands and ever-changing tides of political correctness, the effort involved in throwing off the yoke of Western cultural imperialism, the imperative of tearing down the patriarchy one skull full of mush at a time, and having to issue trigger warnings before discussing anything more contentious than the semester’s syllabus in class, it’s all an academic can handle. Which may explain why UT faculty members are in full freak-out over the Lone Star State law that will allow law-abiding 21-year-old students to carry concealed weapons in class next year. As we reported earlier today . . .

Econ professor Daniel Hamermesh is taking his ball and going home. History Professor Jorge Cañizares-Esguerra isn’t down with the new permissiveness either. Now we hear that his History Department colleague, Joan Neuberger is in just as big a tizzy. Here’s her cri de couer that’s now bouncing through the halls of Austin academe:

From: Neuberger, Joan H [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, October 8, 2015 3:49 PM
To: Neuberger, Joan H <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
Subject: GUN FREE UT

DO YOU WANT TO KEEP GUNS OUT OF OUR CLASSROOMS?

WE DO TOO!

Gun Free UT <http://www.gunfreeut.org/> is a group of faculty, students, staff, parents and alumni working to protest the passage of SB11 (“Campus Carry”), to limit the impact of laws that allow guns on our campus, and ultimately to repeal laws that allow guns to be carried anywhere on campus. At present, we want the Working Group, which is considering how to implement the new laws, to keep guns out of classrooms, office, and dorms.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
ADD your name to the list of 370+ faculty who pledge to “Refuse Guns in Our Classrooms.” Send an email to:  [email protected]<http://austin.utexas.edu/>
By adding your name to this list you are under no obligation to DO anything. We will be planning some collective action when the law takes effect in Fall 2016, but at present joining the list is a statement that individuals may interpret as they wish, whether they wish to take action (or not) however they choose.

SIGN THE BIG CHANGE.ORG<http://change.org/> PETITION AND ADD YOUR COMMENT
If you feel the language in the “Refuse” statement is too strong, you can sign our Change.org<http://change.org/> petition to “Oppose Guns in Classrooms” <https://www.change.org/p/no-guns-in-our-classrooms-gun-free-ut?recruiter=7572902&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink> : we have 4500+ names but want to reach at least 10,000!  Everyone should sign this and get everyone they know to sign it.  Also, please add your comment and identify yourself with your position at UT in the comments section of the Change.org<http://change.org/> petition.

YOU CAN COPY THIS EMAIL AND SHARE THIS MESSAGE WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES at UT-Austin and public universities around the state.
You can join our Facebook Page for announcements, resources, articles, discussions, and Solidarity! Gun Free UT<https://www.facebook.com/groups/469991229827182/> .
Or follow us on twitter: @gunfreeut. And use our hashtag #gunfreeut . And visit our website:  <http://www.gunfreeut.org/www.GunFreeUT.org<http://www.GunFreeUT.org>

READ AND SHARE THESE ARTICLES FOR MORE INFO ABOUT US:
LETTER TO THE EDITOR FROM<http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/opinion/commentary-campus-carry-wrong-for-ut-faculty-stude/nnqxh/> GUN FREE UT Co-Chairs and UT profs Joan Neuberger and Ellen Spiro
NYTIMES<http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/opinion/sunday/frank-bruni-guns-campuses-and-madness.html>: “Guns, Campuses, Madness,” by Frank Bruni
TIME: <http://time.com/4061114/gun-control-texas/> “Why I’m Scared on my College Campus,” Javier Auyero (UT-Sociology)

Have a lovely gun free day,
Ellen Spiro<mailto:[email protected]>, Professor, Radio-TV-Film, Co-Chair, Gun Free UT
Joan Neuberger<mailto:[email protected]>, Professor, History, Co-Chair, Gun Free UT

Prof Joan Neuberger<https://joanneuberger.wordpress.com/>
Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin
128 Inner Campus Drive B7000
Austin, Texas 78712

To the ramparts!

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62 COMMENTS

    • I would assume that since it’s liberal arts that perspective is the key. She sees the world through abstract intent and emotions. Substance and truth are probably very low on her scale of importance. Especially if the truth is less convenient for her than the beautiful illusion. In art someone can wish the world one way and create it in the art. That lack of logic set to the real world and all it’s issues would be considered a form of mental illness. Rightfully so might I say. So she probably shouldn’t be able to own pointy objects.

  1. well, on the upside, if all the gun averse profs leave UT, then I guess the students will get a better educations when people with actual critical thinking and reasoning abilities fill the void.

    • And let the false advertising suits ensue. People don’t go to college to further their critical thinking ability. They go for an experience, for a slip of paper that somehow made them smarter, and because society almost demands it. Giving them real knowledge and the ability to use critical thinking in the real world would probably not go over well. It would be the red pill!

      • your right, the higher educations institution is a well entrenched cash cow. Still, a few of my profs were good, and I learned a lot

  2. “…the imperative of tearing down the patriarchy one skull full of mush at a time…”

    That, sir took the cake in the funniest paragraph I’ve read in a long time! Well written.

  3. People who know they could not be trusted with weapons engaging in projection again. Nothing new, but I wish they would grow up.

  4. “By adding your name to this list you are under no obligation to DO anything…” (emphasis hers!)

    Kinda encapsulates much of the thinking there, doesn’t it? Lots of feels and words, no action…

    • Glad I read this before I got to the “add reply” button–that’s what I came here to say… I would note that the emphasis is not necessarily hers, it is actually on the page they are directing folks to go to in order to sign up.

    • The Administration should accept their petitions and then fire everyone that signed it. Refusing to teach due to a lawful order should be all the grounds they need. Then maybe they can hire some real teachers that don’t have an irrational fear of guns and the 2nd Amendment.

  5. Here’s a history lesson for all of the UT academics. It’s one that is considered the most important labor-management event in the latter half of the 20th Century.

    In 1981, the US Air Traffic Controllers decided to go on strike in violation of the law. They had decided collectively that nothing would happen to them if they all hung together.
    After all, what would the President do? Fire all 13,000 of them? baWAhahahahahaha!

    So, on August 5, 1981, the President ordered them to return to work or face the consequences. 1,300 returned to work and President Reagan fired the remaining 11,345 and not one single one of them was ever allowed to work for the Federal government again.

    Moral indignation is just fine until you lose, tenure, your salary and the only retirement benefits you have left are the amounts you paid into the system when they get refunded to you.

    • That is one of my very favorite bedtime stories. Thank you sir, I will sleep well tonight dreaming of ex-union people gnashing their teeth at being called on their bluff.

    • Moreover, that one policy decision by Reagan had international implications with the USSR at the time.

      Those of us old enough to remember the Bad Old Days of the “Cold War” remember the late 70’s and early 80’s. It seemed Ivan was stealing a march on us everywhere around the globe.

      Reagan was elected on two principles: “I’m going to cut taxes/government and I’m going to beat the commies.” Well, one the ways that the Russians learned that Reagan wasn’t a pushover as Carter and Ford had been was seeing Reagan sack all those ATC strikers at the possible disruption of the whole US civilian air system.

  6. Ok, so regardless of the law changing, I wonder how many students currently carry as concealed is “concealed” How would any of these “somewhat liberal tenured professors” have a clue if someone was carrying after the law is implemented? You need to do the stats on how many students are over 21 and the percentage of them who would likely carry. That data has to be available in Texas or Nick knows how to figure it out.
    On another post the professor commented on how the money should be spent on “equality”, Tenure Tracks, and salary, that’s what should be attacked by the legislature. Tenure—Gone, Salary if you won’t let (though I don’t know how you would know) students who CC in your classroom decreased by 25% every time you missed a class, don’t know how to deal with equality as I’m not sure what in totality that actually means.

  7. And happily ever after toto. Until the next nut job.
    These are not brave people, it’s not in their dna to stand up and protect themselves so to ridicule them gets to be senseless after a bit.
    Ive seen these folks locked in fear standing around a serious car accident looking on while the driver was bleeding out.
    These types will always exist and there will always be a first responder willing to stop the bleeding.
    This is why they are drawn to the teaching life, safe in the bubble while others brave the real world.
    And so it goes.

  8. “What with the incessant demands and ever-changing tides of political correctness”

    Aren’t these the same people who started the political correctness movement?
    See how that one has come back to haunt you?
    Might want to reconsider the notion of no defense is the best defense.

  9. Well, I know that I have a Ph.D in History. Wouldn’t mind teaching at UT, and I’d be carrying right there with everyone else.

    • Send ’em your resume.

      You might want to conveniently not mention you have a carry permit.

      Until after you clear the probation period…

      *snicker*

    • Go for it. Really. One of the reasons why academia is in the shape it’s in is because people of sound minds abandoned it, and allowed the lunatic left to complete their “long march” through the institution of academia.

      If a bunch of “long marchers” are going to quit the field, then it is a huge opportunity for those who have sound minds to seize the ground abandoned.

  10. When there is a mad man in her classroom, pointing a gun at her or her students and asking, what religion are you, she will very quickly change her mind on the question of concealed carry.

    These people just do not get it. Madmen ARE out there. In fact, not just madmen, but men who want to kill you (as in ISIS type terrorists) are also out there. Gun Free Zones are not gun free zones. The only person with a gun is the guy who is trying to decide whether to shoot you in the head or in the leg. Better someone else in the room shoots him first.

  11. As a parent I am very happy to hear that students in Texas will be able to have a firearm on them while on campus. As far as these “professors” are concerned if they do not care for this new law they can quit. In light of what has been happening I do believe that allowing concealed carry would be the best deterrent.

  12. I have a question. How will they know if a concealed carrier in their classroom. Do they have X-ray vision?

  13. All the professors should quit, give up their tenure and retire without their pensions. And then the cleansing of UT can begin in earnest. Does anybody else remember when the air traffic controllers thought that they could strongarm Reagan? How did that work out for them?

    It’s time to take our schools back, one campus at a time.

  14. 1) UT must have a sh!tty dental plan. Just an observation

    2) thanks for having a PUBLIC petition with all of your names. Now the good people over at 4chan or some other website can look up your home addresses. Boom. The revloution will be televised. Easy pickings. Easy pickings

    • I noticed that she has lost all or most of the vision in her right eye. See how the eyelids on that eye are half closed. That slowly happens to folks after they stop seeing through that eye. They don’t notice that it is happening.

      That has no impact on her opinions; It’s just an odd thing I noticed.

    • That’s probably an unfortunate side effect of an antibiotic that was given to pregnant women about the time she was born. I have the same staining because of it and get regular cleanings.

  15. I’d expect this kind of behavior from children, not grown adults. Certainly not university educators.

    I sincerely hope they get fired. This behavior has no place on a university campus.

    Everyone complains about the millennial generation but just look at those who are teaching them. Is it any wonder?

  16. When it comes to protectng/ensuring America and safety, Neuberger, like the pres., DON’T DO DI<K

    Too bad we can't afford to allow ISIS to show them reality for at least an afternoon. Neuberger and the pres. Operate like they work for them.

  17. Nothing “mo’ better” to open apoplectic people’s eyes than having your son, daughter, yourself facing an 8 inch knife at any turn while merrily walking along the Land of Milk and Honey and Perpetual Rainbows.

    ‘Carry your firearm everywhere,’ Jerusalem’s gun-toting mayor tells Israelis
    Published time: 9 Oct, 2015
    “Given the current escalation of violence in the security situation, those with a licensed firearm who know what to do with it must go out with their weapon. In a way, it’s like military reserve duty,” the millionaire and former entrepreneur, who has been in charge of Jerusalem since 2007, told Army Radio on Thursday morning.

  18. “Have a lovely gun free day,”

    Yeah unfortunately it’ll be pretty gun free. There’s always another day, though.

  19. Funny, I seem to recall the pro-gun side having to do all its mobilization on the issue, before the law was passed. They must know something I don’t, I guess.

  20. “If you feel the language in the “Refuse” statement is too strong,” man, you were right. Talk about PC and trigger warnings….

  21. have a gun free Auschwitz and Dachau. We know how well that worked out for the Nazis
    No double standards put the DC politicians on Obamacare and SS.Thanks for your support and vote.Pass the word. mrpresident2016.com

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