Here’s a disturbingly inconvenient truth: Students at Roger Williams University in Briston, Rhode Island, were forced to watch Al Gore’s global warming schlockumentary if they wished to graduate.
Think I’m kidding?
As reported by Young America’s Foundation (h/t NBer Dahlia Travers. Also, please watch the following video of Fox News’ Neil Cavuto interviewing one of these students on the May 9 “Your World”):
The week before Earth Day, professors teaching the lab portion of CORE 101: Science, Technology and Society required their students to watch Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth during class. Every student at RWU must enroll in this core class to qualify for graduation.
Amazing, huh? Fortunately, the students didn’t go down without a fight:
Dana Peloso, a Young America’s Foundation student activist and a junior at RWU, sent an email to the assistant dean of the science department, Jeffrey Hughes, conveying that same point: “with the scientific community unsure if global warming is man induced or part of the natural cycle of the earth, do you think that it is intellectually honest to only show the alarmist viewpoint? If the movie is still shown, what plans are there to incorporate the ideas of leading global warming skeptics into class discussion?”
Here was the University’s absurd reply:
In his response—obtained exclusively by Young America’s Foundation—Jeffrey Hughes defended his decision to present only the leftist position on climate change: “scientists no longer question whether the atmosphere is being warmed due to human activities and instead are increasingly impressed with the speed and impact of the process. I repeat: there is no doubt that we’re warming the earth and that a continuation of our activities will lead to profound changes” (emphasis added).
The RWU Assistant Dean also implied that adopting the Left’s talking points on global warming is part of a student’s maturity: “As educators, we’re charged to encourage your intellectual growth. That can (actually, will) be uncomfortable at times, and we’re also here to help you deal with that discomfort.”
Wow. Educators are charged to encourage intellectual growth even if it’s painful? Sounds a bit authoritarian, dontcha think?
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.
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How is it that a 15 year old
May 18, 2007 - 18:22 ET by Sick-n-TiredHow is it that a 15 year old has better intuition, reason and scientific ethics than an asssistant dean? I swear, from some of my own dealings with these guys, it is required they get a lobotomy when they go into administration. This is truly disgusting and I hope it gets more airplay.....but I damn sure will not hold my breath.
Sick-n-tired,There was a rece
May 18, 2007 - 19:52 ET by alamojbSick-n-tired,
Slight change of subject , but still relavent as you mention "dealings with these guys. " I was fortunate to be at a mostly Conservative School. (Texas A&M) There was a recent article by "Father Jonathan" on Fox News.com where he spoke of older college officials / professors seeming to have a bias against Christian Activity on Campus while in many cases encouraging New Age / Eastern Religions. I wonder how much this will change when the sixties decade professors retire? Will the replacements be worse?
"...The Democrats love chaos. The Republicans love order and discipline and waiting your turn." Chris Matthews on "Gregory Live" as reported by Scott Whitlock 16MAY2007 blog "Matthews Rips..."<
There are many who say the
May 18, 2007 - 23:37 ET by Right2thePointThere are many who say the Hillary run is the last gasp for the baby boomer hippy freak flower child era to strut their stuff.
Pelosi, Boxer and other fellow travelers are also in the same basket.
Maxine Waters doesn't realize she is being over run by the illegals faster than she can invoke the Justice Brothers.
It's all about what grabs the front page.
Anyone heard of the Mafia lately? Did they all go to confession and mend their ways? Or are the last season of the Sopranos our alternate feed stock?
"As educators, we’re c
May 18, 2007 - 18:22 ET by mattm"As educators, we’re charged to encourage your intellectual growth. That can (actually, will) be uncomfortable at times, and we’re also here to help you deal with that discomfort."
Or as Dr. Floyd once said: "It's just a little pinprick, There'll be no more 'ahhh ahhhh ahhhh'- but you may feel a little sick"
Anybody surprised about one nutjob forcing his opinion on kids
May 18, 2007 - 18:22 ET by vman92It is a sad day in deed when suposed institutions of higher learning blind themselves to the truth.
If anyone is interested in di
May 18, 2007 - 18:25 ET by Mr. KafirIf anyone is interested in discussing global warming with this arrogant ass, you can find his e-mail address here. Be polite, but let him know that there is not just one side to global warming.
BTW, its interesting that his picture is not there with the rest of his faculty.
So What?
May 18, 2007 - 18:37 ET by takingmyconstitutionalSo what? College students are required to fulfill all kinds of information-exposure requirements for classes. "An Inconvenient Truth" is an influential film that has been widely discussed. Any student who hopes to be well-informed about current issues and current controversies should watch it, together with many other things that may or may not accord with his or her political or scientific viewpoint. College is about exposure to ideas and information. Hardly a time to turn into a fossil.
What a stupid comment, beside
May 18, 2007 - 18:45 ET by Mr. KafirWhat a stupid comment, besides completely missing the point.
taking--would you therefore b
May 18, 2007 - 18:47 ET by ncstevemtaking--would you therefore be in favor of students being exposed to the idea that there really was no Nazi concentration camps during WWII and the idea that the Jews, Catholics and other undesireables were never exterminated? That idea had been widely discussed also. Is that the only criteria you have for something to be taught in a classroom environment?
Actually when institutions of higher learning were first founded centuries ago by the Catholic Church the goal was to learn Truth--not exposure to ideas and information regardless of their validity or not.
"College is about expo
May 18, 2007 - 20:30 ET by Jerry"College is about exposure to ideas and information..."
And yet they only want ONE side heard. REQUIRED "exposure" to only one viewpoint while censoring all others is INDOCTRINATION, not enlightenment.
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment
vote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any
President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).
Exactly. It's fine to make
May 18, 2007 - 21:29 ET by dahliatraversExactly. It's fine to make AIT mandatory viewing AS LONG AS a film that presents the growing list of flaws with AGW is also shown.
By the way, takingmyconstitutional, the only fossils around here are in the AGW camp. "Overwhelming consensus", shutting the media out of events, etc. Sceptics are the ones saying, we need to learn more about this phenomenon.
I am sure you will give the
May 18, 2007 - 23:51 ET by Right2thePointI am sure you will give the same tolerance to allowing military recruiters on campus and ROTC as an activity.
Spare me your blended blurb of tolerance which I can see at 40 miles away is just a cover jab to your supression of the right side issues you mostly see as the "dark side".
I have seen too many times the bullsh** tolerance as long as it means my side gets to air their cr**.
How many schools punish and blast down anything from the right of center?
Heck even from the center?
Don't give me you false guff about equality of thought , it is very clear it is not there.
Taking: However when I read
May 19, 2007 - 09:06 ET by Seabeach4348Taking: However when I read Jeffrey Hughes' knucklehead response, sadly that isn't what's happening here.
I don't see any encouragement for the free flow of diverse ideas and viewpoints; I see nothing but arrogance and the same snot-nosed, pseudo-intellectual line of bulls**t that the debate is over and it's a foregone conclusion that we are the cause of the climate changes.
All I see is an instructor and a faculty hell bent on driving their agenda down the students' throats, and there had better not be any dissention or else.
Well if they have to sit through "Inconvenient" there has better be an intermission so that those of them who need to puke can do so.
If I were a student
May 18, 2007 - 19:25 ET by dwillmoreIf I were a student there, or if my child was a student I would take that email statement and sue the school to get an entire tuition refund. If we thought schools were bogus before....
I honestly think Tech schools garner more respect than college these days.
Fuzzy Facts Leads to a Fuzzy Education
May 18, 2007 - 19:27 ET by deerjerkydaveSince when is science decided by majority opinion? Dissention and debate never occur among scientists? This is a crock. This school must be a joke if it is turning its science program into political science! Remind me to keep my children as far away as possible from that institution.
Al, is that snow in the pictu
May 18, 2007 - 19:40 ET by Clear thinkerAl, is that snow in the picture behind you? Caused by AGW right?
We will be breaking records tonight where I live. It will be the coldest night on record for this day. Caused by AGW right?
The liberal MSM has become an enemy of the USA.
The professors showed the
May 18, 2007 - 20:09 ET by ding7777The professors showed the film on a single day - if a student stayed, he saw it, if a student left or never attended class that day, he didn't see it.
Are you seriously saying that missing a single lab in a 101 course will keep you from graduating!
Yes, that is exactly what h
May 18, 2007 - 20:13 ET by Jack BauerYes, that is exactly what he is saying. Well done.
Jack Bauer - Too bad. Becau
May 18, 2007 - 20:27 ET by ding7777Jack Bauer - Too bad. Because that's not what the emailer said:
You need to enroll in the 101 course - so unless you need perfect attendence in the course (which would be a novelty) then Noel over reached in his conclusions based on the email.
No, he did not. The point i
May 18, 2007 - 21:34 ET by dahliatraversNo, he did not. The point is that the course needed to make two films mandatory - one pro AGW and one sceptic - or none.
dahliatravers - The email doe
May 18, 2007 - 23:32 ET by ding7777dahliatravers - The email does not say that viewing AIT is required(mandatory) to graduate - only that the course (CORE 101: Science, Technology and Society) must be taken to graduate.
Ding batYou are playing law
May 19, 2007 - 00:01 ET by Right2thePointDing bat
You are playing lawyer the words here, do you want to debate the meaning of "is" like someone else did.
The lack of clarity in the email could tell you that either that course part was a required content or also could tell you it was not. We do not know at this point.
But if the professor thought it so necessary, you can bet that attendance would influence your grade.
The course requires on that day that you must sit through this gob of crap.
Have you noticed that it has not caught on here. Yes Europe can be buying into it, even GWB is offering an olive branch of tasking departments related to it, but by and large the public ain't swallowing this snake oil.
Twist in the wind son, we are not jumping on your bandwagon.
You got your personal parts stuck out defending this and now you are so surprised when someone puts their golf spikes right where they hurt.
Pardon me if I giggle and point.
Right2ThePoint - The lack o
May 19, 2007 - 09:34 ET by ding7777Right2ThePoint -
The lack of clarity in the email could tell you that either that course part was a required content or also could tell you it was not. We do not know at this point.
You could look at Roger Williams University Catalog (pdf) and find out that enrollment in Core 101: Science & Technology allows substitution
Noel was wrong in his assertion that students "were forced to watch Al Gore’s global warming schlockumentary if they wished to graduate". But even it was true, showing the film provided global warming deniers an opportunity to debate the content of the film.
What a sad commentary that you don't think college students can view a film and debate its merits.
Give me a break. Since when
May 19, 2007 - 09:55 ET by mikejGive me a break. Since when has the left ever been interested in an exchange of idea's?
ding's qoute:
But even it was true, showing the film provided global warming deniers an opportunity to debate the content of the film.
What a sad commentary that you don't think college students can view a film and debate its merits
Jeffery Hughes qoute from response email:
“scientists no longer question whether the atmosphere is being warmed due to human activities and instead are increasingly impressed with the speed and impact of the process. I repeat: there is no doubt that we’re warming the earth and that a continuation of our activities will lead to profound changes”
Sounds like open and honest debate to me. Plus, do I need to bring up the Al Gore qoute "The debate is over!"?
If you want to know what the left thinks about diversity of thought just go up a few news stories to the new documentary out about "Indoctrinate U" and that tells you all you need to know about how it's the left that stifles debate, not the right.
The sad thing, ding, is your inability
May 19, 2007 - 10:03 ET by RJThe sad thing, ding, is your consistent attempts to present the facts dishonestly way. Deliberate or through lack of comprehension, I can't tell, but dishonest nevertheless.
"In his response—obtained exclusively by Young America’s Foundation—Jeffrey Hughes defended his decision to present only the leftist position on climate change: “scientists no longer question whether the atmosphere is being warmed due to human activities and instead are increasingly impressed with the speed and impact of the process. I repeat: there is no doubt that we’re warming the earth and that a continuation of our activities will lead to profound changes”
This is indoctrination, not "debating the merits." When a professor presents only one side, there is not much chance of a spirited debate from young students. My son has described a similar situation at his college, where attempts to bring in contrary information are ignored or treated as ignorant.
Inconenient Truth DVD Special Edition
May 18, 2007 - 20:35 ET by Jack BauerI'm waiting for the DVD Special Edition of An Inconvenient Truth!!
It's got loads of extras...
1. A version with a laugh track. And a version with an alternate ending in which Al Gore is eaten by a Polar Bear.
2. Deleted scenes, such as the one in which a noted scientist calls Al Gore a "hugely talentless buffoon with a carbon buttprint for a brain."
3. A hilarious Gag Reel in which Al shows his talent for physical comedy, such as a skit where the slide projector catches fire, then falls on him...
Jack...Now that would be a ke
May 18, 2007 - 20:41 ET by bigtimerJack...
Now that would be a keeper....let alone a best-seller!
If it isn't relased soon I
May 18, 2007 - 20:43 ET by Jack BauerIf it isn't relased soon I may have to make it myself and post it on You Tube.
Ding said:
May 18, 2007 - 20:46 ET by Sonny Lykos"Jack Bauer - Too bad. Because that's not what the emailer said:
Every student at RWU must enroll in this core class to qualify for graduation.
You need to enroll in the 101 course - so unless you need perfect attendence in the course (which would be a novelty) then Noel over reached in his conclusions based on the email."
Come on! The showing of this movie was indicative of the class agenda. It's as simple as that.
Jack...Can't wait.....it woul
May 18, 2007 - 20:47 ET by bigtimerJack...
Can't wait.....it would be hysterically funny that I know.
Jack:Please consider adding t
May 19, 2007 - 09:20 ET by Seabeach4348Jack:
Please consider adding this to your DVD:
Revisit the Academy Awards: Algore is plugging for his "Inconvenient Truth"; suddenly a huge, black carbon footprint (or buttprint) falls on him, impaling his bloated body on the stage; a huge chunk of glacial ice falls off of Senator Hitlary Klinton's back impaling him even more......and then a polar bear eats him just as a giant green illuminated sign appears at the rear of the stage reading: 2000 Election, Algore, LOSER.
That sounds like classic Be
May 19, 2007 - 09:35 ET by Jack BauerThat sounds like classic Benny Hill slapstick. It's in!!!!
Here is another HUGE scare...
May 18, 2007 - 20:52 ET by bigtimerHere is another HUGE scare....
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article1805870.ece
Do these people ever stop?
I just love what the one poster said from Az. I think it was...lol!
Scientists agree about all kinds of theories...
May 18, 2007 - 20:59 ET by c5thenbefore they scrap them for something that makes more sense:
When will we add Anthropomorphic Global Warming to the list?
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic
... you .... you mean ... the
May 18, 2007 - 21:32 ET by dahliatravers... you .... you mean ... the earth isn't flat ...??
I don't think this is happeni
May 18, 2007 - 21:05 ET by bretzysdudeI don't think this is happening just in college.
I work at the headquarters of the company that rhymes with ball-heart, and management of various divisions had to post in front of their doors ways they plan to save the planet for the company. The one thing on many managers' to do list? Watch "An Inconvienent Waste of Time/Truth". I have a feeling that it wasn't required.
Some of the students watched
May 18, 2007 - 21:23 ET by upcountrywaterSome of the students watched it like this:
http://www.aidd.org/droogs/alex-clockwork-orange.jpg
LOL upcountrywater!
May 18, 2007 - 21:28 ET by bigtimerLOL upcountrywater!
To be fair and ballanced..
May 18, 2007 - 21:25 ET by c5thenThe college students should be required to read this:
http://home.earthlink.net/%7Eponderthemaunder/
It was put together by Kristen Byrnes, a 15 year old high school student!
It is one of the best if not THE best compilation and analysis of Global climatological data that I have seen to date.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic
You're following the MSMs fac
May 18, 2007 - 21:39 ET by mbx175You're following the MSMs fact-checking standards here. Roger Williams University is in BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND. The dateline of the story is HERNDON, VIRGINIA. Small, but very noticable and ignorant mistake.
Could it be the Young America
May 18, 2007 - 21:49 ET by botgCould it be the Young Americans Foundation is in Virginia so the press release originates there? The phone #s cited are a 401 area code which is Rhode Island. And to think Roger Williams left the Masachusetts colony for religious freedom to not have to follow the party line. Now they indoctrinate in his name.
Supreme Court, National Security, Borders, Fiscal Restraint, my litmus test for President.
Now they indoctrinate in his
May 18, 2007 - 21:59 ET by dahliatraversNow they indoctrinate in his name
Oo, good point.
MBX
May 19, 2007 - 00:38 ET by Noel SheppardMBX,
You're correct. This was lazy on my part. I saw the dateline, and made an assumption I shouldn't have. Thank you for pointing it out. ns
Well, that was such an arroga
May 19, 2007 - 09:05 ET by Roger the ShrubberWell, that was such an arrogant and ignorant mistake, Noel. Flog yourself with a wet noodle immediately.
It you were the New York Times, you would have buried your apology and acknowledgement of this misprint in a thread from the day before.
I also now fully expect Media Matters to devote a good amount of time and energy on how Newsbusters promotes "half-truths" and "outright lies".
Shrub
May 19, 2007 - 10:34 ET by Noel SheppardShrub,
Well, at the time, I was thinking of looking up RWU to determine its location. However, why would the dateline say Herndon? Kind of ridiculous, don't you agree?
Regardless, I'm surprised Ding didn't notice this, and use it as another smokescreen. :-) ns
It brings to mind visions of
May 18, 2007 - 22:15 ET by ArchConservativeIt brings to mind visions of students strapped down in a theater just like in "A Clockwork Orange" with them screaming just like Alex "STOOPPPP STOOPPP IT'S WROOONGG!"
"Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."
- President George W Bush September 2001 speech to a joint session of Congress.
are you responding to upcount
May 18, 2007 - 22:18 ET by botgare you responding to upcountrywater's link? (about 7 comments up)
Supreme Court, National Security, Borders, Fiscal Restraint, my litmus test for President.
Gored to death
May 18, 2007 - 22:22 ET by Cool ArrowWhen you hear words like "consensus" and phrases like "All the scientists agree", be very afraid.
Just like Teddy's "We need to strike while the iron is hot", rest assured there is an agenda.
Teddy's "We need to stri
May 19, 2007 - 03:23 ET by dahliatraversTeddy's "We need to strike while the iron is hot"
Which means, we need to rush this through before they lynch us.
(Fortunately, they're going to need 60 Senators to do so.)
Higher ed in this country i
May 18, 2007 - 23:02 ET by MilesDHigher ed in this country is right out of control. I don't know how much a BS degree means any more.
The SAT has been dumbed down, I'll say. With regret, I assess the same thing of the GRE, at least the general test.
(Sincere apologies, ETS, Princeton, New Jersey, but this has happened.)
Only in America: a hundred ye
May 19, 2007 - 15:51 ET by MikeBOnly in America: a hundred years ago, high school graduates had to know Latin or Greek; today the colleges teach remedial English and math.
A hundred years ago, a high school diploma meant you were ready to go out into the world and contribute. Today's high school diploma means you aren't qualified to do a d*mn thing. Unless a student continues on to college or enters an apprenticeship with an electrician or plumber or such, the only job a high school graduate is qualified for is fry cook at McDonald's.
And, yet, this week at high schools across this country, politicians will give commencement speeches telling these poorly educated morons that they have the world by the shorthairs, that they have accomplished a quest similar to Heracles' cleansing of the stables. I feel sorry for the grads when they realize the truth. How many high school grads can balance a checkbook, or plan a family budget, or even plan and cook a week's worth of meals for a family? How many are ready for the responsibilities of family life? Our education system has failed these students and society miserably.
"A communist is someone who reads Marx. An anti-communist is someone who understands Marx." Ronald Reagan
Does anyone know if Al and/
May 18, 2007 - 23:13 ET by DyneDoes anyone know if Al and/or any/all of his cronies have recently made "contributions" to said university?
"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." -Matthew 7:20
Al's Martian Revival
May 19, 2007 - 00:45 ET by Cool ArrowHaving returned from a huge tent meeting on Mars, Mr. Gore is happy to announce the planet's polar cap will start reforming immediately. Other planets to follow. Developing...
The whole human-induced glo
May 19, 2007 - 03:46 ET by riff_raffThe whole human-induced global warming thing has me puzzled. I'm an engineer, and I work with engineers. All of whom are very well educated (BS, MS, PhD's). I always considered engineers to be very rational, logical people. But the majority of these engineers that I am working with seem to buy into this "human-induced global warming" hog wash. Of course, they are either young or European for the most part, so maybe that explains it. But never the less, it saddens me greatly to see these normally logical, rational engineering minds quit functioning properly when the subject of "global warming" comes up.
Fortunately, it provides me with an unending source of entertainment. I constantly goad them into an argument where I know that their "global warming" theories cannot be supported by science, and they end up stomping away frustrated. Usually muttering something about Dick Cheney, Haliburton and NPR.
Am I being too immature and juvenile about the whole thing?
... ah, no. Any chance we c
May 19, 2007 - 03:58 ET by dahliatravers... ah, no. Any chance we could put a hidden camera on you for one of these encounters ...?
That is terrible, and most
May 19, 2007 - 04:00 ET by MilesDThat is terrible, and most likely the result of the University system (if a recent grad), there are few alternative ideas floating around them of late, or at least discussed openly.
If it's a BS or MSE, I can begin to understand it ("look, it's there in the book, see? Says so right there")
- but with a PhD, there's no excuse at all. By that time, they ought to have the ability to reconstruct somebody's line of reasoning ("what are they claiming, and why are they claiming it?") and if it doesn't add up, cannot believe it until they prove to themselves otherwise
Tell them to give their PhD back
As an engineering student,
May 19, 2007 - 12:55 ET by The PresbyterAs an engineering student, I have to say that I know where you're coming from. I know many brilliant people and it seems that some of them buy into the human-induced global warming concept. My take on it is that while they may be brilliant, they don't even research anything about global warming. The ones that actually do the research tend to be non-believers, like myself.
It's also hard when there are professors that I look up to who spout global warming bs.
At my school this spring I
May 19, 2007 - 12:49 ET by The PresbyterAt my school this spring I was taking an online economics class where only 4 classes were considered mandatory to attend. In one of these 4 the professor played "An Inconvenient Truth" very loudly while the class was supposed to do economics related work. Thankfully, I was told this was going to occur by a friend who had the same class earlier in the week and had time to think about what I was going to do.
I knew that if I went to class I'd probably end up having an aneurism, making a scene, yelling at the professor and impressing/angering quite a few of the students. Since I'm a commuter, I didn't think it would be worth my drive to spend time in a class that would anger me. Plus, I could get the work done online. So, needless to say, I skipped the class, but I was fuming the whole week.