Purdue President Slaps Down the Anti-Free Speech Idiocy at Yale and Mizzou

by Cassy Fiano | November 12, 2015 11:47 am

A bunch of spoiled brat college students are being allowed to run things at Yale and the University of Missouri, because they’ve been whining about how their feelings are hurt over the latest outrage du jour. Thankfully, there’s at least one place in academia left that values free speech: Purdue University, where the president just put out this epic letter.

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To the Purdue community.

Events this week at the University of Missouri and Yale University should remind us all of the importance of absolute fidelity to her shared values. First, that we strive constantly to be, without exception, a welcoming inclusive and discrimination-free community, where each person is respected and treated with dignity. Second, to be steadfast in preserving academic freedom and individual liberty.

Two years ago, a student-led initiative created the “We Are Purdue Statement of Values”, which was subsequently endorsed by the University Senate. Last year, both our undergraduate and graduate student governments led an effort to produced a strengthened statement of policies protecting free speech. What a proud contrast to the environments that appear to prevail at places like Missouri and Yale. Today and every day, we should remember the tenants of those statements and do our best to live up to them fully.

Sincerely,

President Mitch Daniels

Finally, some common sense for once! Look, it’s not fun that sometimes people will say or do offensive things, but someone needs to point out that life is hard, and it’s not fair — and free speech, even free speech that’s — gasp!! — hurtful is more important than any of these students’ pathetic hurt feelings will ever be.