Athletephobia in Vermont

Middlebury College do-gooders got themselves twisted into real knot recently. They were having a big group therapy session about "homophobia" and how to eradicate it on their campus. They put their conclusions up in a library display. But in doing so they defamed another group -- athletes. Accusing anybody of homophobia on a modern-day American campus is worse than calling them terrorists. Jihadis are seen as positively cuddly compared to homophobes. So the campus athletes rightly felt that they had been gravely insulted by being accused of being homophobic.

"Two anonymous suggestions for eliminating homophobic hate speech at Middlebury by changing the athletics program were removed from a College display last week after student athletes criticized the suggestions and a college administrator acknowledged that posting the recommendations was a "major mistake." The suggestions that raised controversy proposed that Middlebury should "stop recruiting athletes" and "better educate its athletes about homophobia."....

At the town meeting, several students were critical of those who linked homophobia to Middlebury athletics, but the issue was lost in the larger discussion. On paper and in the display, however, the suggestions sparked another debate. While expressing solidarity with and support of the intent of the display, student athletes said they were disappointed to find a project addressing how to eliminate hate speech, in fact containing hate speech of its own.

"I was surprised at how big of a space was allotted to the comments. I had thought that maybe they were hidden in a longer list of ideas, but they held their own spots," said women's soccer player Christine Bolger '07. "I was disappointed that they had found their way into the public as stereotyping other groups because in my eyes, that discredits the overall intention of the display, which I think was a very good intention."

In response to the display, four-year varsity soccer player Dave Lee '07 wrote an e-mail to Ramirez. "I am personally a firm believer in gay rights and also agree that hate speech should not be tolerated at this college," wrote Lee. "When this fight for enlightenment chooses to degrade and stereotype other groups of people, however, I can't help but be disappointed in the entire cause."

The offensive suggestions were removed from the display by Thursday. Ramirez responded with an apology to Lee and met with other students who felt marginalized by the suggestions. She accepted responsibility for the public display of the suggestions on athletics, calling it "a major, major mistake that I feel terrible about." Ramirez said that the "stop recruiting athletes" comment was removed from the first draft and somehow snuck its way back into the final display.

Source

In the weird world of the Left, comments apparently have a life of their own. The same people seem to think that guns do things too so I suppose we should not be surprised.

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