Recently I discussed (here) a new student organization at the University of Virginia, the Individual Rights Coalition, that opposes mandatory diversity training.
Now comes Andrew Connors, an articulate third year student at UVa, to discuss some of the philosophy behind the IRC and, troublingly, to describe a recent open meeting it sponsored that Daisy Lundy, the student council president and leading advocate of mandatory diversity training, attempted to hijack.
One episode from Connors’ description:
The IRC, just 48 hours into their existence, had already gathered over 700 signatures on a petition against Mandatory Diversity training. Their formal introduction to the University Community came at 9 PM, as Anthony Dick approached the podium in Minor Hall, room 125. Mr. Dick made a wonderful speech detailing his position as outlined previously. Following that, he opened the floor to questions. The first came from UVA Student Council President Daisy Lundy: “Anthony, do you mind if I say a few words?” She was already approaching the front of the room as she said it, and before he was able to even give a reply, Mrs. Lundy was already in full swing with her speech….
As Anthony Dick was making a point-by-point response to a question posited by a Mandatory Diversity training advocate, Daisy took it upon herself to walk to the blackboard right behind Anthony, and under which he had written the websites www.freeuva.com and www.theFIRE.org, she wrote www.daviddukesamerica.com. She later added that we should all go visit the website, since we shared the same views as it and its primary advocate, notorious white supremacist David Duke. Mr. Dick beautifully responded to Ms. Lundy’s insinuation that the IRC was equivalent to the KKK by saying, “But Daisy, just because you and David Duke put your pants on one leg at a time it doesn’t mean you’re the same.” Shortly after that Ms. Lundy left the room in veiled disgust, and was heard telling a friend as she was leaving that the IRC was full of “racists.”
Connors added that there is no www.daviddukesamerica.com website, but that when he did find Duke’s site what he saw were diatribes about Israeli complicity in the 9/11 attacks. He concluded that Duke is a nut.
Wow. Has this incident been reported in the Cav Daily? Wow. What a f*cking moron this girl is.
It was reported in the cavalier daily, but in a fairly benign fashion. See http://www.cavalierdaily.com/CVArticle.asp?ID=16831&pid=1045.
In the article, Lundy states “In citing the Web site, I in no way meant to insinuate that there was any parallel between the IRC and David Duke,” Lundy said. “In order to have all the information, we need to look into all sides of the debate. I’m not saying his side is the same as the IRC — it’s just one more side.”
Even if this was true (which it most assuredly is not), it was still very improper of her to interject herself in such a fashion. If she was really trying to “show people all sides” and claimed to be there to tell the supporters’ side of the story, then it would seem the logical thing to do would have been to put a website up that supported the mandatory diversity training program.
One thing of note: two subsequent pieces in the Cavalier Daily have said that http://www.davidduke.com was written on the board, and not http://www.daviddukesamerica.com as I reported. I fear this could undercut one of the points I make in my essay since davidduke.com does actually exist; however, I am VERY certain that the word “america” appeared in the URL she wrote on the board. I have since made a change to my site reflecting this apparent inconsistency.
All of you at UVA, keep an eye out for the next VA Advocate issue, which will feature this essay.
Also, I strongly encourage everyone to show your support for the IRC initiative and attend their next meeting.
She had no business writing any web address at all on the board.
This goes with the mandatory diversity training. Daisy has the correct worldview and she has to make sure that EVERYONE is exposed to it. The idea that everything isn’t about her hasn’t occurred to her, nor the idea that somebody else may know something she doesn’t.