Re: Challenging Free Speech
Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 1:03 am
I feel truly sorry for Gary, or as I like to call him, MoeMoe the Magic Maniac Man. I once thought he was truly sincere regarding what he claims to believe and even once shook his hand and told him that I have a certain level of respect for what he was doing despite my disagreement with his method and message. However certain events that have transpired since have left me in serious doubt regarding his motivations. Suffice it to say that he has resorted to blatantly distorting things that I have said in an attempt to slander my character. I have since decided that regardless of his sincerity, with regards to moral character, he is found wanting. I firmly believe in his right to speak his mind. I agree that a college campus is certainly a place where discourse should be encouraged. I guess I understand the other side as well however. As far as academic discourse, anyone ascribing to such unethical rhetorical methods would almost certainly see the sun set on their carrier in academia before you could say Fox News. Also, it is not like Gary is teaching a lesson or in some way a part of our community. He imposes himself on us. There are places where such behavior is simply not socially acceptable. It has been a disruption to me as I have come to avoid the union in my daily walks. We are a public campus however I don't know that this necessarily means that just anyone can walk on campus EVERY DAY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS and impose themselves in such a manner. What Gary does is tantamount to a sort of intellectual terrorism. In a very vicious and calculated manner he is using our ideals against us. I do not think he would be allowed to do what he does on our campus at any other state facility. Would he be allowed to preach in the middle of the DMV? I guess I feel that our campus is a tad different than any other public place. It may be state property however many of us LIVE there. We pay rent here. We eat here, sleep here, and even fornicate here if you listen to Gary. The point is that this is our HOME. And for many of us we feel that Gary's intrusion is beyond rude and in a very literal way the courts seem to have the opinion that they can give him the right to just march into our living room and shout hatred at the top of his lungs. Though I do not live on campus I see it as my convent. It offers me a place where I am somewhat shielded from the painful stupid that seems to be so prevalent throughout the "outside world". There is a lot of stupid in academia however it seems to be somewhat milder. I must say I have learned a bit from Gary. I have learned allot about human emotions and behavior from observing those who interact with him. Gary is responsible for finally giving me an explanation for why god hasn't seen fit to revel himself to me. You see, according to Gary, I am not worthy of a relationship with God. I am going to hell because that is what I deserve. God created me as I am intentionally so that I WOULD go to hell. The reason I do not believe what gary believes is because God is intentionally deceiving me. Gary explained this and much more to me during one of the more interesting conversations I have ever had. You have to admit, though he has NO evidence for his claim of divine revelation nor that I am being divinely deceived, it does hold to some level of logical consistency not typical of religion. For that I must give him mad wuzzels.
Kevin
Kevin