Man, where was this guy back in November? Seriously!
According to this, Interim Vice Chancellor Chuck Henson wrote a letter to #ConcernedStudent1950 – you know, the professional grievance protesters that held the University of Missouri hostage and sparked temper tantrums from college students across the country. Henson was actually hired to help ease the racial tensions at Mizzou – which some people might take to mean he was going to give the protesters whatever they demanded.
Henson, however, took a different approach. One that is sorely needed with all these whiny babies crying for their safe spaces. He wrote a letter to the movement as a whole – like I said – and in that letter, he gave the students some “tough love” in response to the protesters unreasonable demands –
As you should know by now, President Middleton, Chancellor Foley, Provost Stokes, and I (to name just a few) have been meeting with hundreds of students. We are engaging in relationships in ways you may not have experienced. For my part, I have been seeking you out. I have invited you to come see me. However, as yet we haven’t met.
Had you accepted my invitation to meet face-to-face, you would already know the answers to most of the issues raised in your recent communication. As many other concerned students already know, much of what can be done to transform our culture is already underway. We have begun the work of generations by educating our fellow citizens in Columbia, our senior leaders, faculty, staff and new students on inclusion, diversity, implicit bias and the history of the African-American experience in Missouri.
[…]
You would also know that there are things, like hiring faculty or staff, or admitting students based on protected characteristics to meet a numerical target, will not and cannot be done. It is against state and federal law. It also is a bad model for a sustainable community. The administration is not responsible for curriculum requiring specific courses. That is the sole responsibility of the faculty – and the faculty is working on this issue.
Gee, maybe – you know – SHOWING UP for a meeting with the people you’re making demands of would be a smart first step in improving relations with those in authority. Honestly, this just proves to me that all these student protesters aren’t actually interested in anything getting better. They just want to scream and cry and make noise. They’re like kidnappers holding people hostage for no good reason, other than they want to be famous. Or something. I guess.
Henson’s letter goes on to outline ways that the university has been working to create a more diverse and inclusive campus – but the tone is so much more different than other university administrators who’ve been forced to give in to Team Special Snowflake. He’s much more authoritative and doesn’t sound like he’s a weary preschool teacher who just wants the rowdy children in his care to take their cookies and shut up already. He sounds like he’s actually in charge and not being held at gunpoint by protesters demands (well, at metaphorical gunpoint. Team Snowflake melts at the mere mention of those EEEEEEEEVIL guns). Which, it’s refreshing to see someone in administration actually do some – you know – administrating for a change. Here’s how his letter ends –
If you sincerely want better relationships, the time for demands, threats and arbitrary deadlines is over — you don’t need them. I hope you’ll join me with other concerned students in The Working Group to get down to the work of building.
PRAISE BE. Finally, we’ve got the adults in charge!
Oh – and here’s something that’s somewhat related and absolutely HILARIOUS. An unofficial pep squad from Mizzou known as The Antlers actually published a list of demands that they had of college administrators. But don’t worry – these demands are actually a joke making fun of the protesters and all their idiotic shenanigans –
.@Mizzou you have 72 hours before we lock ourselves in a dining hall pic.twitter.com/N2zCW4OvM3
— The Antlers (@The_Antlers) February 24, 2016
Now THAT is funny!
Between The Antlers mocking the protesters and Chancellor Henson telling the delicate social justice flowers to grow up and start wearing their big kid pants, I feel like there’s some hope left for the upcoming generation of Americans. I wasn’t feel so great a day ago.