State college shuts down conservative group at recruiting drive

Genius move <sarc> by college administration officials if we have all the facts. At Palm Beach State College, the conservative group Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) was kicked off campus during a “club rush” event where campus groups have tables with information about their organizations. Someone did not like what the YAF had to say.

From the Orlando Political Press, which really just published a press release from YAF. Hat tip to Big Journalism and Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit, with my emphasis in bold.

On Tuesday September 7, 2010 at around 11:00am one Palm Beach State College (PBSC) student and two Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) members, state chairman Daniel P. Diaz and state vice chairman Eddie Shaffer, were shut down and had campus police called on them after tabling and recruiting during club rush at the College. The PBSC student, Christina Beattie, had received prior permission from college administrator Olivia Ford-Morris to promote her organization on campus via telephone and email communication.

On the day of club rush, officials approached the group and after seeing information about the organization and its ideals criticizing Barack Obama’s economic policy. Ms. Ford-Morris was visibly disturbed by the material presented, published by the Heritage Foundation, criticizing President Obama’s administration. College officials then called the campus police to assure the group left campus. Ms. Ford-Morris denied having ever talked to Ms. Beattie about giving permission to the organization to be a part of PBSC club rush. Read the full post.

First off, I’d like to see what materials were present that offended the administration officials so much – if they were really offended – they felt the need to call campus police and have the group removed. The Heritage Foundation is certainly not an organization that distributes materials that are racist or over the top. They have fantastic information that is generally so non-provocative it rarely is discussed in the main stream media.

In other words, their stuff is generally not sexy sound bite material that drives blog traffic.

Second off, we need to know what the official process is for clubs to sign up and have tables at the club rush at the school. Then, we need to confirm that every club really did have official permission. The press release indicates some groups did not have official permission.

It is represented that the YAF tried to have a table at a previous event in the fall and was shut out since they did not go through proper channels. It would be interesting to say the least if the group made the same mistake twice. They say they e-mailed the organizer, spoke to the organizer, and spoke with the school’s dean.

Finally, what’s the big flippin’ deal about having a table at club rush that must be “approved” by the administration? Couldn’t the administration just approve their participation on the spot? It’s not like they were about to hold an impromptu concert featuring Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus at a 5,000-student middle school or anything.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1NbpAHsveQ

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Steve McGough

Steve's a part-time conservative blogger. Steve grew up in Connecticut and has lived in Washington, D.C. and the Bahamas. He resides in Connecticut, where he’s comfortable six months of the year.

15 Comments

  1. Dimsdale on September 9, 2010 at 7:36 am

    Despite all their lofty rhetoric, liberals cannot tolerate free speech, hence the "Fairness Act" and attacks on the dreaded Fox News and conservative commentators (by the president himself, no less!).  They cannot compete in the arena of ideas with facts, so they must suppress the opposition.  One usually expects that someone wouldn't be so flipping stupid about it.

     

    If Palm Beach State College has rules and regs about who can have a table at a rush event, then let's see them, and let's see the offending material.  If neither can be produced, then Ms. "I don't remember anything" Ford-Morris needs to publicly apologize and quite possibly step down from her position.

     

     



  2. Dimsdale on September 9, 2010 at 8:48 am

    Okay, this is priceless: her Facebook page "likes" include Barack Øbama and Michael Moore.

     

    Nope, nothing to see here…



  3. Dimsdale on September 9, 2010 at 8:55 am

    Here is part of the problem: they don't learn about the Constitution until next week, during "Constitution Week", Sept. 13-17 (http://www.palmbeachstate.edu/x12817.xml).  Constitutions available in Spanish and English.

     

    I wonder if Mrs. Ford-Morris will object to that too?



  4. PatRiot on September 9, 2010 at 11:59 am

    Doesn’t anyone bother to take a deep breath, remain calm and use common sense any more??
    Will it really be necessary fot the YAF to cry “They hate us”? in order to practice free speech?
    Take the higher ground YAF,? stand on principle.? Take the individual, not the school, to court over your rights to free speech.? Scream “FREE SPEECH” and bring the conversation back to it EVERY chance you get.???
    Using the Marquis of Queeensbury rules of boxing is not appropriate for a street fight.? But the American spectators will know the true sportsman and?his/her?character.? The American people will rally for them EVERY time.
    If we do not hold to the rule of law.??Ther will be only one rule: 1. There are no more rules. And that my friends is not the America that we know and love.



  5. TomL on September 9, 2010 at 4:21 pm

    Keep digging Dims



  6. NH-Jim on September 9, 2010 at 6:31 pm

    Let's take a look at PBSC Student Handbook: (Pg. 25, Sec I)

    The students, faculty/instructors and staff of Palm Beach State College constitute an academic community committed to the preservation, communication and discovery of knowledge, as stated in the College’s mission statement located in the College Catalog, and to the active pursuit of truth. Consistent with this purpose, the College acknowledges the obligation to afford each student the opportunity to develop his or her educational potential while retaining free exercise of rights and freedoms as a citizen or resident of the United States. The only restriction placed upon any right will be in order to ensure equality of opportunity to all students and the attending requirement of orderly operation of the educational processes including adherence to academic honesty and the health, safety and welfare of all persons within the College community. Each person within this community will assume the obligation of self-conduct to act in a manner consistent with a respect for the right of others and with the College’s function as an education institution that encourages diversity of thought, expression, participation and enrollment.



  7. NH-Jim on September 9, 2010 at 6:39 pm

    Plus this from Pg. 26, Sec. VI:

    Students have all of the rights otherwise preserved under the United States Constitution and Constitution of the State of Florida, which rights include:

    a. The right to freedom of inquiry, thought, both public and private speech, and to lawful assembly, religious freedom and petition...

    c. The right to individually and collectively be free to(…) express opinions publicly and privately and to support causes in any orderly fashion which does not disrupt the operation of the College.

    d. The right to form and join associations that advance the common interest of their members as long as the activities of such associations are conducted in accordance with College policies and public law.

    Read for yourself at:  http://www.palmbeachstate.edu/x19187.xml



  8. JohnK on September 10, 2010 at 3:34 am

    Somehow I am not surprised.



  9. Dimsdale on September 10, 2010 at 5:15 am

    Methinks Ms. Ford-Morris' high school diploma has failed her mightily.

     

    Read the college's anti discrimination and anti harassment policies too.



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