A literal makeshift coffee shop was set up at the University of Maine’s Memorial Union back on October 23 to facilitate conversations where students “were encouraged to talk to one another about voting and how they make their political decisions.”
Organized by the school’s Rising Tide Center for Gender Equity, participants were given fliers indicating discussion “tips” such as “listening to understand, giving others time to speak, [and] not criticizing.”
Though the article says attendees represented various political ideologies and parties, “most of the opinions expressed throughout the event were held by those who identify as liberal Democrats.”
Gee, I wonder why.
Students quoted in the piece detailed how they … evolved from red (conservative) families and/or regions. Craig Freshley, the event moderator, said he was raised in a GOP household, but “was exposed to a deeper way of thinking” when he came to Maine. “It altered my mind,” he said.
Nate Andrews noted he faced a similar situation while Mitch Noland said his main voting issues are “morality, climate change, education and equality.”
Then Susan Gardner, director of women’s, gender and sexualities studies and the Rising Tide Center, chimed in saying she desires “civility” and “common ground” in political discussions BUT — “it is hard to do when we start to dispute research, saying that truth is not the truth and fake news and the reality that some of us live in is different than the reality that some of us live in.”
Of course, that inevitable “but.” And we know what it means: Disagree with research regarding something like, say, climate research? Forget civility. You’re killing the planet. Point out that the mainstream media is indeed liberally biased? Forget common ground. You’re a denier of facts.
(At the beginning of the 2017 school year, Professor Gardner had claimed the “current political climate” offered a good opportunity to hold discussions regarding why “Honk If She’s 18” and “Daughter Drop Off” banners at the school on move-in day were examples of “rape culture.”)
Just imagine if one of the (alleged) conservative participants dared to bring up the undisputed research / truth that a fetus is a human being … and after 20-some weeks is actually viable? Or that gender isn’t actually something people concoct in women’s, gender and sexualities studies classes?
Speaking of scholarship, Gardner, whose research deals with “the intersectionality of the individual within the organizational environments of higher education institutions,” may want to reconsider the section on the Rising Tide Center’s website regarding bias. It states:
We all have biases – implicit and explicit. But not all of us recognize our presumptions and how they impact our actions, including those related to hiring and evaluating our academic colleagues.
Is it OK to describe female colleagues as enthusiastic and energetic in peer review letters, while using terms such as highly effective or skilled when referring to male faculty? Many of us have used these or similar words without considering the subtle message they send.
We all seek to reduce biases, particularly in the academic arena where achieving faculty diversity is a priority. Begin by learning to recognize unconscious attitudes that prevent true progress toward diversity goals.
It then asks readers to take a Gender and Leadership Implicit Association Test (IAT). However, research shows IATs have “serious shortcomings” and “do not deliver on [their] promises.” In addition, “a 2017 meta-analysis that looked at 494 previous studies (currently under peer review and not yet published in a journal) from several researchers […] found that reducing implicit bias did not affect behavior.”
The next time an impromptu coffee klatch is assembled at the University of Maine, if there actually are any right-leaning individuals in attendance, please stand up and unabashedly state your beliefs … most especially to challenge the likes of Prof. Gardner.
MORE: When you delve into politics and history based on ‘muh feels’
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