College Encourages Diverse Idea

Hat Tip to Tom McMahon:

BOSTON—Saying that such a dialogue was essential to the college’s academic mission, Trescott University president Kevin Abrams confirmed Monday that the school encourages a lively exchange of one idea. “As an institution of higher learning, we recognize that it’s inevitable that certain contentious topics will come up from time to time, and when they do, we want to create an atmosphere where both students and faculty feel comfortable voicing a single homogeneous opinion,” said Abrams, adding that no matter the subject, anyone on campus is always welcome to add their support to the accepted consensus. “Whether it’s a discussion of a national political issue or a concern here on campus, an open forum in which one argument is uniformly reinforced is crucial for maintaining the exceptional learning environment we have cultivated here.” Abrams told reporters that counseling resources were available for any student made uncomfortable by the viewpoint.

This, of course, from The Onion. It’s a classic formula for parody: take the pious rhetoric of some pompous official, and rewrite it to say that it really means.

The News Catches Up With The Onion

An Onion video from April, 2009.


9/11 Conspiracy Theories 'Ridiculous,' Al Qaeda Says

And a very recent headline in the Guardian.

Al-Qaida calls on Ahmadinejad to end 9/11 conspiracy theories

Terrorist organisation’s magazine reportedly says it is ‘ridiculous’ for Iran’s president to blame the attacks on the US government