Reading notes

I don’t deeply regret having been a College Republican for nothing:

On June 14, [Prof. Steven] Helmericks began the first session of General Sociology by introducing himself and the course. Helmericks said he believed the war in Iraq was unjust and that American troops were dying unnecessarily.

One student, Heather Schmidt, spoke up and said she did not appreciate his views because her husband was fighting in Iraq. Helmericks said he then told Schmidt that he appreciated her views and that he did not mean to offend her or anyone else. …

[Helmericks told Schmidt,] “‘If you are having trouble with what you’ve heard in today’s lecture, I think you’re going to have trouble with lots of things we’re going to talk about in this class, and there may be other sociology classes that might better suit your needs,’” Helmericks said. …

This reminds me of my seminary experience in which students stormed out of the room during Intro to Old Testament class — and never came back — because they weren’t prepared to have their beliefs challenged. The truth is, beliefs, like lung capacity and leg strength for a bicyclist, are strengthened by challenge and uphill climbs. Unchallenged, unexamined beliefs are about as strong and resilient as a couch potato’s lungs and legs as he suddenly jumps off the couch and onto a bike for a 150-mile tour.

Later in the summer Helmericks received e-mails from Chuck Fogland, president of the CSU College Republicans, condemning Helmericks’ actions in class.

Fogland said he intervened on behalf of Schmidt and other students who were being “harassed” by a “totalitarian” professor.

“It is narrow-minded, abusive and unfair, and it is wrong,” Fogland wrote to Helmericks soon after the incident. “In the interest of all points of view, (CSU College Republicans) will not tolerate stifling of debate.”

There’s a certain pathetic chutzpah in charging someone with stifling debate as you yourself are stifling debate.

Helmericks said the Aug. 13 Denver Post column sparked an unending string of threats. Helmericks said people began sending threatening e-mails and letters to his home, and he received hang-up calls in the middle of the night.

After presenting the information to the CSU Police Department, Helmericks met with Swanson and others in the College of Liberal Arts and determined that it was not safe for him to continue teaching.

This story, if accurate, is Reason #9997 why I will never vote Republican again in my life.

[via PatriotBoy]