In case you’ve ever wondered where George Mason University stands institutionally on the political spectrum, they were going to pay Michael Moore $35,000 of our tax and tuition money to speak on campus five days before the election.They cancelled the event after Republican lawmakers complained, but the fact that they scheduled it in the first place really pisses me off. It’s not that Michael Moore—a caustic example of irrational hyper-liberalism—was going to speak at the school, but that he was going to be paid to do so and it was to happen so close to an election without any prominent irrational hyper-conservative (Jerry Falwell, Rush Limbaugh, somebody!) to counterbalance.
As a public university, GMU has a responsibility to select more intelligent speakers than all the people I just mentioned, and—more importantly—to represent all sides. This maneuver failed to do either, and I am glad that the school put a stop to it (although it should never have happened in the first place).
I went to a GMU “Rock the Vote” event during the 2000 election season and left somewhat angrily after hearing five consecutive speakers endorse and praise Vice President Al Gore. Come on, GMU, how about at least pretending to be an unbiased, fair, representative institution of higher education.
Just pretend? Please?
- University cancels Michael Moore appearance (AP via CNN.com [no longer available]).