Keystone Kops

Barely two years after a federal judge ordered the school to revise its politically correct speech code, administrators at Shippensburg State University in Pennsylvania remain undaunted, constantly patrolling for insensitivity.

“Shippensburg University’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns Committee encourages the campus community to support gay, lesbian, and bisexual students by wearing jeans on Blue Jeans Day (Wednesday, February 23rd) to show their intolerance of discrimination,” the GLBT club announced in a pamphlet earlier this year.

Khakis made a comeback that day. Each year, freshmen at Ship are given a document to sign, albeit voluntarily, that contains both a “Human Understanding Statement” and a “Diversity Pledge.”

“Shippensburg University is committed to developing and implementing, both in the classroom and throughout the campus, appropriate strategies to achieve the common goals of greater human understanding, appreciation, and awareness,” the statement reads. “This community, because of its intellectual, social and programmatic roots must strive to foster an organizational culture that celebrates multiculturalism and diversity.”

Although this big tent may not always cover College Republicans, it provides a dwelling to just about every group represented at the Academy Awards. White males may want to look elsewhere for shelter.

From Ship, we received a packet of handouts made available not only to resident assistants but also to students taking sociology courses, as most underclassmen, at some point or other, are compelled to do, just about everywhere. Here are some of the titles:

• What is heterosexual privilege?
• White privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
• Racism Costs: How Racism “Hurts” Whites
• Male Privilege
• Racism Privileges: How Racism “Benefits” Whites
• Heterosexual Privilege: What is it?
• If these labels leave you in any doubt as to the political orientation of the Powers that Be at Ship, on a visit to the campus, go over to the Franklin Science Center and check out the Bulletin Board:
  • No Not Blame Me [sic]: In 2004, I voted for the other guy.

  • I think therefore…I voted Democrat.
  • Ignorance and Arrogance do not make good foreign policy.
  • W: Stop Mad Cowboy Disease.

Malcolm A. Kline is the executive director of Accuracy in Academia.