Is Purdue the Next Target for Student Unrest?; Purdue Professor Tells Critic to F--- Off

Simmering below the surface is a potential confrontation between liberal activists at Purdue University and their allies and  Purdue University Mitch Daniels.  On Wednesday former Governor Daniels sent an email expressing support for free speech on the Purdue University campus:

To the Purdue community.

Events this week at the University of Missouri and Yale University should remind us all of the importance of absolute fidelity to her shared values. First, that we strive constantly to be, without exception, a welcoming inclusive and discrimination-free community, where each person is respected and treated with dignity. Second, to be steadfast in preserving academic freedom and individual liberty.

Two years ago, a student-led initiative created the “We Are Purdue Statement of Values”, which was subsequently endorsed by the University Senate. Last year, both our undergraduate and graduate student governments led an effort to produced a strengthened statement of policies protecting free speech. What a proud contrast to the environments that appear to prevail at places like Missouri and Yale. Today and every day, we should remember the tenants of those statements and do our best to live up to them fully.

Sincerely,

President Mitch Daniels
 

The idea of supporting free speech, in the face of racial protests, didn't sit well with many students
and some members of the Purdue faculty.  This includes Roxane Gay, associate professor of English at Purdue.  Unbelievably she found Daniels' letter to be offensive:

What on earth is a university president doing, sending this email? pic.twitter.com/8cXd5wSYyX

— roxane gay (@rgay) November 12, 2015

Prof. Roxane Gay

When a person tweeted to Prof. Gay about her "incomprehensible crying" regarding the Daniels' email, the professor responded with the highly intellectual retort: "Fuck off. Truly."   Then she proceeded to tweet about how the right to free speech does not include the right to be free from the consequences of free speech. Actually it does. The position taken by Gay was advocated by the Federalists with respect to the Sedition Act some 220 years ago.  That position has been thoroughly rejected..  That's why "chilling" free speech with "consequences" today is no different than outright banning the speech.  Neither is allowed.  The irony is that Prof. Gay, who recently won a "Freedom to Write" award, does not even have a basic understanding of the free speech guarantees contained in the First Amendment.

When I pointed out that "chilling" free speech was the same as banning free speech to Prof. Gay on Twitter, she immediately responded by blocking me.  Apparently she doesn't like being proven wrong.

Purdue protesters are plowing ahead.  They plan a second hour long social media blitz from noon to 1 pm to highlight racism at the university.  (The first blitz was held today.)  Students at Purdue University are also planning a rally on Friday to show solidarity with the racially charged protests at the University of Missouri.