Slap on the Wrist: Trivial Discipline for Marquette Students Who Defaced Anti-Abortion Display

It was the kind of stunning intolerance that has become common on college campuses: members of the feminist group Empowerment (along with some other students) defaced a university-approved anti-abortion display this past October.

Marquette has failed to explain whether any punishment was meted out to the students guilty of the vandalism. They have not even issued any assurance that punishment would be imposed for an egregious infringement on free expression.

Now we know why.

An Admission

Yesterday, Marquette held a full-day “workshop” titled “Freedom Dreams Now: Whose Lives Matter? A challenge for academics.” Yes, it was as biased and politically correct as it sounds. But one particularly interesting session was a “faculty/student round-table.” One of the students, a black female, admitted she participated in the vandalism.

Actually, it was more than an admission. She outright bragged about her action, and felt it grossly unfair that a minor punishment had been imposed on her. She complained that an officer from the campus Police Department came to question her at her workplace.

Vandalism is a criminal offense, but multiple Marquette faculty intervened on behalf of the students, and there were no criminal charges brought. Rather, Marquette’s own internal student conduct process imposed a minor punishment: the students were required to write a three page paper on how they had acted irresponsibly in defacing the display.

The student on the panel refused to, saying “it’s finals week.” So did one other student. Both were thus put on university probation for a semester. Not suspension, but mere probation.

Marquette, in other words, treated a frontal assault of free expression as a minor peccadillo. If some conservative students had vandalized a “gay rights” display on campus, we can’t imagine any such lenient treatment.

Faculty Response

Rather appalling was faculty response toward this student and her vandalism, which was favorable. One female faculty member described the vandalism as “free speech” and expressed her joy at seeing the vandalized display. Other faculty expressed the hope that the incident would not appear on the permanent record of the student who spoke.

Of course, the expressed opinions of a few faculty may not have represented the views of everybody in the room, and indeed, the people in the room were probably heavily self-selected from among leftist politically correct faculty. But there can be no doubt that a considerable number of Marquette faculty welcome this suppression of politically incorrect opinions.

Any Discipline for Students Who Vandalized Anti-Abortion Display?

It was an outrage. A bunch of feminist students, members of the campus group Empowerment vandalized an anti-abortion display on campus.

Even worse, in a huge display of chutzpah, two students bragged about doing it on Facebook, one in her own post, and another in comments to a post from the Young Americans for Freedom. One of the students admitted to a reporter that she had “tagged along” with members of Empowerment when they trashed the display.

Both the College Democrats, and the group Empowerment came out with statements supporting the vandalism.

Had any conservative group supported the vandalism of any leftist display on campus, the group would have been quickly suspended.

But what about the students who actually did the vandalism? Were they punished in any way? We have been trying to find out, and have been stonewalled by Marquette.

Starting on October 24, we have sent three e-mails to Xavier Cole, Vice President for Student Affairs, within whose bureaucracy discipline would be administered. We also sent him one Tweet, and sent an e-mail to Brian Dorrington, Marquette’s official spokesman.

From: John McAdams
Sent: Monday, October 24, 2016 2:52 PM
To: Cole, Xavier
Subject: Investigation of Vandalizing of Anti-Abortion Display

Hi, Xavier,

I’m wondering whether you can tell me anything about the progress of the investigation into the vandalizing of the anti-abortion display of Marquette for Life.

I’m sure you are aware of two students who have confessed to (actually bragged about) taking part in it. And further that one of those students told a local reporter that she “tagged along” with members of Empowerment, who did the vandalizing.

Regardless of whether you can comment on the investigation, I’m assuming you can answer a question of policy: will Marquette announce the results of the investigation and what punishment has been meted out to the guilty parties?

On the record (unless you tell me otherwise).

John McAdams
Political Science
Marquette Warrior Blog

@DrXavierCole Are students who vandalized the anti-abortion display being disciplined in any way?

— jmcadams (@jmcadams) November 18, 2016

From: John McAdams
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2016 4:15 PM
To: Cole, Xavier
Subject: RE: Investigation of Vandalizing of Anti-Abortion Display

Hi, Xavier,

I haven’t heard from you on this, perhaps because when you got it, there was no actual information you could share.

But now, I’m assuming that the case has progressed.

I’m particularly interested in knowing whether any discipline has been imposed on the students who engaged in the vandalism.

I would also be interested in knowing whether the student group whose members engaged in the vandalism (Empowerment) and a student group which explicitly endorsed the vandalism (College Democrats) have faced any consequences.

Again, on the record unless you tell me otherwise. I’ll most certainly be blogging about this.
John McAdams
Marquette Warrior Blog

Tue 12/6/2016 4:13 PM
From: John McAdams
To: Brian Dorrington

Hi, Brian,

Can you give me an official statement as to whether any discipline was imposed on the Marquette students who vandalized an anti-abortion display on campus?

I’m sure you are aware that Marquette’s silence on this will necessarily lead to the conclusion that nothing was done, and Marquette implicitly condoned the vandalism.

Interestingly, Penn State does take vandalism of a political display seriously.

https://www.campusreform.org/?ID=8468

John McAdams
Political Science
Marquette Warrior Blog

12/14/16
From: John McAdams To: Xavier Cole

Xavier,

I still haven’t heard from you on this.

I’m sure you know that, in the absence of any comment from Marquette to the contrary, it has to be assumed that the students in question were not disciplined at all.

Some universities take attacks on speech seriously.

http://www.breitbart.com/tech/2016/12/05/penn-state-students-fined-for-destroying-pro-trump-signs/

I hope to hear from you by the end of the day.

John McAdams
Political Science
Marquette Warrior Blog

Marquette has failed to provide any response.

The inference is obvious: the students have gotten off scott-free. Even if Marquette refused to reveal the identity of the students, they could explain what punishment has been meted out. But apparently, none has been.

Marquette has been pandering mightily to the campus leftists. One particularly egregious example was when both Michael Lovell (President) and Daniel J. Myers (Provost) demonstrated with students in support of the bullies at the University of Missouri.

As the links above show, Penn State was willing to discipline students who tore up Donald Trump signs. It’s ironic that Marquette, apparently, is unwilling to defend free expression on campus, and even to defend expression of the Catholic position on abortion.

Update

The vandals in fact received a minor, “slap on the wrist” punishment.

Vandalizing of Anti-Abortion Display at Marquette in the News

It hasn’t been quite the fiasco the Assata Shakur mural was, but the vandalizing of an anti-abortion display (which has been approved by the university through normal channels) by leftist students (including members of the feminist campus group Empowerment) has gotten some attention.

• The Daily Caller. Notes that the College Democrats approved the defacing of the display.
• The Daily Caller. Notes that Empowerment, a recognized student group at Marquette, has applauded the vandalism, and said there is no need to tolerate anti-abortion opinions.
• Campus Reform. Also notes that the College Democrats approved the vandalism.
• Hypeline. Recounts basic facts of the case, and notes numerous other cases of vandalism and harassment directed at pro-life students at various universities.
• LifeNews.com. Also lists cases of vandalism by intolerant feminists at various campuses, and names one student who confessed on Facebook that she participated in the vandalism at Marquette.

More relevant, probably, because they have good penetration of the local market, are two reports on local TV news.

• WTMJ, Channel 4. Basic facts, and good interview with the vice president of Marquette for Life.
• WITI Channel 6. Says that “A group has taken responsibility for the defacement.” Not exactly true, but not exactly wrong either.

The issue now becomes: what will Marquette do in response? Will it discipline those responsible? Marquette’s incessant pandering to the campus left suggests the university will do nothing. But perhaps this case is so egregious that even the über-politically correct administration will have to come down on the side of free expression.

Petition in Support of Vandalized Anti-Abortion Display

From Catholics for Mission @ Marquette: a petition expressing support for the anti-abortion display that was vandalized by campus leftists week before last.

Astonishingly, two students who participated in the vandalism have admitted their actions on Facebook. It’s clear that the vandalizing was done by members of the Feminist group Empowerment, which issued a statement condoning the defacement. And the College Democrats (a group which traditionally has been more moderate than the hard leftists) has endorsed the vandalism.

All of which it is important for people to speak up and condemn the egregious attack on free expression.

Militant Students Defend Vandalism of Pro-Life Display at Marquette

The vandalism of a pro-life display at Marquette, lamented by the Young Americans for Freedom on their Facebook page, has attracted support from several people, who have defended the vandalism, and attacked the Young Americans for Freedom in vile terms in comments following the post.

This is a window into the virulent bigotry of the politically correct left on campus.

Members of Feminist Group “Empowerment” Vandalized Anti-Abortion Display

A Marquette female student has told a reporter that she “tagged along” with members of the feminist group “Empowerment” as they vandalized the anti-abortion display of Marquette For Life last week.

There is no indication that it was any sort of official group activity.

But it does raise the question as to whether the group, which strongly advocates for abortion, should be a recognized student group.

Empowerment, in the wake of the vandalism, issued an official statement essentially condoning the vandalism, and making it clear that they had tried, through official university channels, to shut down the display. Apparently, in frustration, they resorted to direct action.

Marquette Student Activist on the Intolerant Left, Campus Free Speech

Again, it’s Allison Kazalski, President of the Marquette Chapter of the Young Americans for Freedom, discussing intolerance in academia, and especially the vandalizing of an anti-abortion display on campus. This from the Vicki McKenna show on WIBA, Madison.

Vandalized Anti-Abortion Display at Marquette: Student Activist Speaks

On the Mitch Henck show out of Madison: Allison Kazalski, President of the Marquette Chapter of the Young Americans for Freedom, discussing the recent vandalism of an anti-abortion display on campus.

“Empowerment:” Intolerant Marquette Feminists Want to Ban Anti-Abortion Speech

As a Political Science student and the Marquette College Democrats went to Facebook to endorse the vandalizing of an anti-abortion display at the university, the feminist group Empowerment issued a statement on the incident.

At first, it seemed to reject the vandalism. It stated:

Firstly, Empowerment does not condone the defacement of property and acknowledges the need for respectful discussion wherever such polarizing opinions are expressed.

OK, fair enough. But then it goes on:

Secondly, Empowerment stands in support of women’s right to choose and access to safe and legal abortion free from violence and intimidation. . . . Empowerment works to create and uplift a community of students that support one another in their personal and academic growth. At the core of this community is a deep respect and appreciation for our differing beliefs, backgrounds, and cultures. Empowerment is devoted to listening and amplifying narratives, especially those which have been strategically marginalized by oppressive institutions. We work to understand what this system has done (and continues to do) to the structures we inhabit, how we can make a difference, and ultimately, how we can heal together.

The hypocrisy here is stunning. As we will see, a “narrative” these women do not respect is opposition to abortion. As for “those which have been strategically marginalized by oppressive institutions,” it has been those who oppose abortion that have been marginalized by powerful institutions such as government, the mass media, the educational system, and organizations like Empowerment.

It goes on:

The “Memorial of the Unborn” is a display which directly undermines this healing by further stigmatizing abortion. Rather than fostering discussion and understanding, the display is damaging to the mental health of students and a disturbing act of public shaming.

So “healing” means coming to accept that abortion is OK. In other words, for Empowerment, “healing” means that people who disagree with them need to shut up.

The rhetoric about “shaming” is equally hypocritical. The leftists will happily shame people for any expression they think is racist, shame males for being part of a “rape culture” (regardless of whether a particular male would even think of raping any woman) and shame whites for their “white privilege.”

But don’t dare shame women who might have an abortion.

And of course, facing different opinions about abortion damages women’s “mental health!” Obviously, college needs to protect students from different opinions, in order to protect their mental health.

But it then gets downright bizarre:

In the past, students at Marquette have complained to university administration regarding the harmful nature of the display, which, until this year, employed crosses to emulate a “fetus graveyard.” The shift to pink and blue-gendered flags offers no recompense to those interested in human rights and, rather, demonstrates the harmful and misguided conflation of sex and gender and promotion of the gender binary.

That’s right. Marquette For Life is not on board with the transgender agenda! But then, neither is the Catholic Church. Heaven help us if students at a Catholic university should agree with the Church on gender theory.

Complaining About Speech

But note the “complained to the university” statement. Students at Marquette have complained that a student group is allowed to promote a political position with which they disagree.

But it goes further:

This year, several students submitted official complaints through university avenues. Student activists also demonstrated briefly in front of the display on Thursday, mounting their own signs on top of Marquette for Life’s. To these activists and all those dissenters of policies and institutional stances that privilege oppressive narratives over your very existence, Empowerment says:

Your pain and anger is valid. We are here for you. We support you.

Do not listen when people tell you to be more tolerant of other’s intolerance.

Thus they are condoning the vandalism, by supporting the covering over of the anti-abortion message of Marquette for Life. It seems “defacement of property” is something they really don’t mind.

The notion that one should be “intolerant of intolerance” is a staple on the politically correct left. Of course, the entire formulation is oxymoronic, since the people who say it are themselves admittedly intolerant, and thus have no right to expect tolerance from others.

Just as bad is their notion that they are the only ones authorized to decide who is “intolerant,” and shut up those they believe to be so.

Likewise, the notion that one’s “existence” is threatened if somebody disapproves of your opinions or actions is also part of the repertoire of politically correct leftists. Do they actually think they will disappear in a cloud of smoke if they hear opinions they disagree with?

Gross Intolerance

Submitting “official complains through university avenues” means, quite simply, they were asking Marquette to shut up the pro-life demonstration. Empowerment, in fact, is every bit as intolerant as the students who vandalized the display (or perhaps, some of their members were the people who vandalized the display).

A substantial number of students (and faculty) at this “Catholic university” are not only hostile to the Catholic position on abortion, they are actively trying to shut up its expression.

Vandalized Pro-Life Display: Student Group Speaks Out

Reacting to the defacing of an anti-abortion display on campus, a campus student group (Young Americans for Freedom) has issued this statement:

---

Self-proclaimed Feminist Students Deface Pro-Life Memorial at Marquette

College Democrats of Marquette condone act, Conservative students respond

Milwaukee, WI - Self-proclaimed feminist students sabotaged a display on Marquette University’s campus memorializing the millions of babies killed through abortion. The culprits placed several signs covering the information about the memorial. The signs stated things such as: “My Body, My Freedom”, “Stop the hypocrisy, care for women’s reproductive rights”, “68,000 women die from unsafe abortions every year”, and other variations of pro-choice arguments. Coat hangers were also scattered around the memorial.

The Young Americans for Freedom chapter at Marquette responded with the following statement: Young Americans for Freedom at Marquette University is extremely saddened that the Students for Life memorial was defaced by certain students intolerant of an opinion that they do not agree with. It is extremely hypocritical to claim that you are exercising your free speech rights through defacement while simultaneously trying to shut down the free speech of a student organization.

The act was so egregious, Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Xavier Cole, sent an email to the Marquette community condemning the defacement. He wrote, “Let me be extremely clear. Defacement is not dialogue.” He then goes on to say that Marquette values all opinions on specific matters, but that there needs to be dialogue and productive discussion on such differences.

For its part, the Catholic university refused to defend the pro-life students and the dignity of the unborn. As Dr. Cole wrote, Marquette’s mission requires the respect and dignity of all individuals. The Young Americans for Freedom – Marquette call on President Michael Lovell and the University to stand up to both the vandalism and the unborn. With this act, liberals made clear: conservatives and the unborn are not safe in the space of a university.

While many students are upset over the defacement of the memorial and infringement of Marquette for Life’s freedom of speech, a student organization took to social media to praise the vandalism committed by the students. Marquette University College Democrats tweeted and posted on their Facebook page that they were proud of the feminists. “We love and support you!” they wrote.

# # #
About the pro-life memorial:

Every year, Marquette for Life celebrates “pro-life week” by creating a memorial for the millions of the unborn killed in America each year. Flags are planted in the ground to represent the lives lost through abortion every year (1 flag = 1,000 babies aborted). The memorial was approved by the school. On Thursday, students defaced the memorial by vandalizing the sign which explains what the flags represent.

Contact:

Young Americans for Freedom at Marquette University
Youngamericans4freedom@gmail.com

Anti-Abortion Display Defaced at Marquette

It’s the sort of thing we have seen on a lot of campuses, and now it has come to Marquette. An anti-abortion display, approved by Marquette Student Affairs officials, has been defaced. From Facebook:



The Marquette Wire (official student online paper) covered the story here.

Notice a blatant example of journalistic bias: a defacing of a display is described as a “counter demonstration.”

Marquette issued a statement condemning the defacing of the display. It says (in part):

Let me be extremely clear. Defacement is not dialogue.

Respectful discussion and even dissent is best done face to face. Our issue does not lie in the expression of varying viewpoints, but rather in the way that this was handled. Our mission is grounded in respecting the dignity of all individuals and being inclusive of multiple perspectives. Inclusivity by its very nature begins with respect.

The Marquette For Life group’s display was submitted and approved in advance, as is standard procedure for any display that appears on university property. We are working with our students to make sure their promotions on campus continue.

Brazen Intolerance

What is stunning about this is not merely that it was done (which is bad enough), but that campus leftists are bragging about having done it, and voicing their approval on Facebook.

One student (in Political Science) posted an apparent confession, calling it “our response” to the display, and lauding her “feminist peers.” At the moment, her post has 88 “likes.”

Worse, the College Democrats approved of the vandalism, saying “Keep fighting the good fight, Marquette feminists.”

But the issue is: will Marquette discipline the students who did this?

Given the craven way that Marquette has reacted to the Social Justice Warriors in the past, we have our doubts. The people who did this have probably calculated, correctly, that they will receive a slap on the wrist, at most. But this is a direct attack on free expression on campus.