Ethics, Palin and the Weather(above)Ground
(posted by Alix)
UPDATED: The University of Illinois reverses controversial ban on political activity.
“We, the leadership of the University of Illinois, will preserve, protect and defend the constitutionally guaranteed rights of every member of our university community,” university President Joseph White said in a public advisory. Certain activities barred under the earlier interpretation, he wrote, “conflict, or appear to conflict, with fundamental freedoms.”
Read article HERE.
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September 24th, the University of Illinois released a memo about upcoming elections and reminded employees that they are bound to the State Officials and Employees Ethic Acts, which prohibits First Amendment granted rights their involvement in political activity on campus.
After all buttons announcing their partisanship are junked, employees can proceed to encourage and register students and other employees to vote–in a sterile, non-real world, non partisan manner. The Button Police won’t be patrolling, says the University Ethics Office, but still, Cary Nelson, “believes he is now violating campus policy when he drives to work because he has a bumper sticker that proclaims: “MY SAMOYED IS A DEMOCRAT.”
This story has already been blogged, here and here.
Weatherson has a good analysis about political advocacy on campus.
But I discovered an interesting tie-in. Palin is back for Act 2, in lipstick, with the smear rifle–to clip Obama/Biden’s lead. She’s feeding Joe Six-Pack more cheap lies by making ostentatious decrees that Obama is friends with a terrorist.
“We see America as the greatest force for good in this world,” Palin said at a fund-raising event in Colorado, adding, “Our opponent though, is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect that he’s palling around with terrorists who would target their own country.”
With his fugitive days long behind him, the Palin proclaimed “terrorist” William Ayers is now busy as a Distinguished Professor–at the University of Illinois. Whose Ethic Act clearly states that:
“In fact, the activities defined as “prohibited” per the law are only prohibited while employees are on University time or using University resources or property.”
Would this include William Ayers Faculty Page at UIC? Which links directly to his personal website? Which, sure, doesn’t directly promote one particular candidate, but does house very strong anti-administration and liberal viewpoints. As Ani D has said, “it don’t take a weatherman to look around and see the weather.”
Tags: Election '08, ethics, obama, palin
October 7th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Are you tattling?
October 7th, 2008 at 10:13 am
M.White:
Nope. That’s not my point. Well, in a sense, maybe it is.
The University seems to be overlooking the fact that a faculty members link to their personal web page can influence a person’s political beliefs just as much as wearing a button endorsing a candidate–especially a political figure like Bill Ayers!!!
What do you think about UIC’s Ethics memo?
October 7th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Also, I used Ani D. for that quote in hopes someone might check the link and read the lyrics for “Self Evident.”
It might however, have been more profound to use a Bob Dylan reference, the line, “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows,” from the song, “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” Afterall, the Weather Underground took their name from said song.
October 9th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
It turns out that Palin herself has ties to an unrepentant 1960s bomber.
October 9th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Really. Whatever one thinks about Bill Ayers, at least he was trying to end an imperialist war, not participate in one.
October 10th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Roderick, great article link.
“I was guilty of war crimes against the Vietnamese people. I intentionally bombed women and children.”
– John McCain, October 1997, interview with Mike Wallace on CBS 60 Minutes
Perfect.
Keith, I am familiar with the WU. I am not sure, however, what the injury rate was associated with their actions. I don’t approve of political actions that harm people. Not from my government, and not from protesters.
It is disgusting that the state can make those actions patriotic where as a group like the WU is seen as terrorist.
It is just as disgusting that the general public can’t decipher this and can be manipulated by Palin’s message.
October 11th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
googling the mccain quote it turns out that he was retelling the story of being forced to confess to being a war criminal. (see: http://www.snopes.com/politics/mccain/warcriminal.asp)
so mccain hasn’t admitted yet that he is a war criminal.
I am familiar with the WU. I am not sure, however, what the injury rate was associated with their actions.
they bombed empty buildings and didnt kill anybody though some of their own died in an accident. sadly their coup destroyed the sds and they were completely wrongheaded and despicable in their ideology. i highly recommend the documentary called, i think, the weathermen. anyone else seen it?
October 13th, 2008 at 8:31 am
christhamrin, glad you took more time than myself to look into the quote. Either way, I still find McCain’s bomblust and diplomacy disgusting.
This disgust also exends to groups like the WU and destructive anarchists. However, I am more likely to respect WU than present day violent activists. Mainly because we’ve learned that this level of violence is completely counter productive, it really only feels good to those doing it but ultimately damages the movement in general.
It is laughable that the WU destroyed SDS. Perhaps this is why Ayers was fed up with leading it–if they could that easily fall without him.
The SDS has been re-imagined, and is growing in membership across the country. They seem to be well organized and I’m hopeful they last longer than their predecessors, whine a lot less and create more effective mobilization.