As I predicted, PARD will be sponsoring the showing of the anti-Wal-Mart movie, "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of A Low Price".
The kicker here, as T.V. Reed likes to say, is that you, the taxpayer, are helping to pay for it all.
This flyer was prepared by Heidi Harting-Rex, the Academic Coordinator for the WSU Department of Comparative Ethnic Studies, on a WSU computer, is being sent via WSU e-mail, printed off from WSU printers and being distributed. It announces a "special sneak preview" of the anti-Wal-Mart movie in Room 130, Todd Hall on Monday 11/14/2005 from 7:00 – 9:00 PM. It is being hosted by the Department of Comparative Ethnic Studies, Women's Studies Department, American Studies Program, Sociology Department, and Pullman Alliance for Responsible Development.
Of course using university resources to pursue private political agendas is nothing new. Greg Hooks, the Chair of the Department of Sociology, has his WSU e-mail address listed at the PARD web site. Just as Jason Rogers, PARD webmaster and Whitman County Democrats vice-chair uses his WSU e-mail address as well.
I'm sure they are strictly adhering to the WSU policy on Appropriate Use of Computing Resources, Information Technologies and Networks
7 comments:
It now has the appearance of being a WSU vs. Pullman issue. As a taxpayer, I resent their use of public facilities to promote their political agenda. As a citizen of Pullman, I resent them using the power of WSU to 'keep us down on the farm'.
"WSU departments of: Comparative Ethnic Studies, American Studies, Women’s Studies, Sociology and Pullman Alliance for Responsible Development" The mention of PARD is superfluous, as the "academic" departments they list before just about cover all their membership.
Gee, any bets they'll show "Why Wal-Mart Works and Why That Makes Some People Crazy" in the interest of equal time, fairness, diversity and academic freedom? We all know how much WSU supports free speech and free thought.
I fairness, WSU probably would allow it but it would have to be sponsored by an student/educational group. If they don't allow equal access, then we can jump up and down.
That still doesn't make it fair though. WSU seems to be allowing the power of the university to be used by professors to promote a social agenda against Pullman.
Yes, I meant that I don't think we'll see the Departments of Comparative Ethnic Studies, American Studies, Women’s Studies, and Sociology offering an alternative viewpoint to stimulate academic debate any time soon. I would love it if a student group or academic department on campus would host the pro-Wal-Mart movie, but given the "Festival of Free Speech" going on now at WSU, I'm not going to hold my breath
That's okay, we uneducated townies will host a showing.
Your point is my point. As a grubby little merchant, I don't have the resources of a WSU professor who wants to dictate my life/opinion. I am only allowed to pay the taxes to support the WSU professor. As PARD likes to point out over and over, I should be grateful for PARD's all knowing "protection".
This would make a great commentary piece to the Daily News or maybe to the attorney general's office.
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