Historically, the goal of any professor has always been to assist students  in finding their own answers. Rote memorization is not enough; the student  must be taught how to think and reason on his own. But what happens when professors start propagating their own ideas at the expense of their students’? The “educational” programs in totalitarian regimes like Hitler’s Germany and Stalin’s Soviet Union were great at telling students what to think—the results were only too catastrophic. Could such a thing happen in this country? Could a person or group use the professor’s podium to preach the stale and intolerant dogmas of irresponsible extremist groups?

Unfortunately, many professors at the U-M offer up their podiums to just about any group or person wishing to get the attention of the student body.  Just days before this issue went to print, one hapless student found himself the victim of just such a horrific “mind-rape” in Dr. Sidney Fine’s otherwise most enlightening History 466 class, American History 1900-1932. At the scheduled class time, Dr. Fine approached the microphone and ordered the students to “give their full attention to what these two women have to say.” “These two women” were nefarious BAMN (By Any Means Necessary) agents, and their five minute rant was anything but educational or enlightening. They tried to rally the class to “actively participate” in the upcoming Defend Affirmative Action, Day of Action. They explained that all who opposed affirmative action were trying to “resegregate higher education,” and they needed our help to prevent this. Furthermore, they tried to claim that all U-M students were “defendants” in the two lawsuits currently being made against the U-M, and that it was thus their responsibility to help defeat these suits.

Dr. Fine’s class was not the only one to be taken over by BAMN that day, and other groups besides BAMN routinely use the same method when trying to spread their ideas. But, like BAMN, they are committing the same dastardly “mind rape.” Imagine, students take out their notebooks, and prepare to sit through a lecture that costs them thousands of dollars to attend. Suddenly, they find themselves trapped in a crowded lecture hall being forced to listen to ideas they strongly object to, and all the while being told by their professor to sit still and listen. Like a T.R. and his “bully pulpit,” drawing on the authority of the professor in an environment where the students can’t complain or even vocally object, these groups are leaving students with no choice but to hear them out. Being forced to do something against your will, especially something like listening to blatant lies (resegregation?) and intolerant dogma (by ANY means necessary?), is unacceptable. These groups are literally holding students down and forcing them to listen—the term “mind rape” is thus very appropriate—and the professors are willing accomplices in this institutionalized brainwashing.

Clearly something has to be done. Professors are generally careful not to let too many of their personal feelings and beliefs creep into their lectures, as they feel it is oppressive to the students and makes it uncomfortable for them to express their own opinions. Yet, they are more than willing to let someone else do the dirty work, by telling their classes to listen attentively while minions of some political pressure group or extremist fringe faction (e.g. BAMN) expound concepts the professors may agree with. Why is this happening? Why has the administration let the professors treat their students in this manner, especially when they are paying out of their nose to come here? The answer is, that these little events are given a nod of approval by a leftist administration too self-involved with its own lawsuits and holy Jihad against the forces of moderation and tolerance to care even one bit about how uncomfortable the student body is becoming.
With the administration backing such “mind rapes,” it seems likely they will continue indefinitely. Students beware, your ideas and opinions may only be heard if they are in strict agreement with the dogmas of these groups like BAMN, and they will be drowned out otherwise. The hypocrisy is stunning, yet clearly lost on these misled sixties leftovers. They claim the “established order” oppresses them, their friends, minorities, women, and people overseas. They claim the “order” listens only to its own opinions, and works only for its own goals, unwilling to compromise with “tolerant” activist groups like them. Yet, like the pigs in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” these groups now perfectly mimic the ways and means they protest oh so loudly against.