Many of you are also probably aware that here at William and Mary, the Board of Visitors is currently determining whether or not to renew Gene Nichol's contract as President of the College. Sadly, certain members of the House of Delegates, like Freshman Delegate Brenda Pogge (R-York) have chosen to interject themselves into the process.
Delegate Tim Hugo has taken it a step farther. As quoted to today in this story from the Daily Press, Hugo said that his alma mater (Class of 1986) "is becoming a joke." As a student at the College this is infuriating. Tonight my roommate composed a letter to Delegate Hugo that I believe represents the overarching feeling of students here at the College towards Hugo's asinine remark. For the record, he is a Sophomore at the College who lives in New Jersey, and he has given me permission to post this letter on Raising Kaine in hopes that members of this blog community will stand up for our College against bullies like Delegate Hugo. His words are blockquoted and below the fold.
Dear Mr. Hugo,Let me preface this email by saying that I appreciate your concern with the College of William & Mary. It's obvious you have a deep love for your Alma Mater, just as all students here do. I'm glad to know that the love for the school does not fade through time.
I do wish, however, to politely disagree with your statement that William & Mary is becoming 'a joke.' I realize that the Sex Workers' Art Show was not the most popular event to occur at William & Mary, and I also disagree with the Student Assembly's decision to fund it with student money. But all of that aside, I don't believe it is within the rights of President Nichol or any state Lawmaker to censor the performance. Sex is something all individuals will be faced with at some point in their lives. It is impossible to shelter a person forever, and it is certainly not the job of the College (or government) to do so. College is meant to prepare students for the 'real world.' Sex is a part of that world, like it or not.
Though I did not attend the show, it has been made aware to me that it was no more than a performance - no gratuitous sex or blatant pornography. In my opinion, banning the SWAS would also mean necessitating a ban of any nude art, films with nudity present, or books alluding to sex. Also, if William & Mary has become a joke in hosting the Show, then I assume Duke, Harvard, University of Michigan, University of California: Davis, and George Mason University are also jokes. (Note: These are all colleges that, like William and Mary, have hosted the Sex Workers Art Show)
I realize that this email will probably fall on deaf ears; politicians such as yourself have no time to listen to the people who are affected by their decisions. But do understand this: William & Mary is composed of thousands of intelligent, involved, and accomplished students, just as it was 20 years ago; however, 20 years is a long time. It is enough time that the beliefs of a society (and student body) can change. I suggest you educate yourself more on the issues at hand, perhaps put yourself in the shoes of a current student. I challenge you to consider the students at the College when making your decisions. After all, it is their lives, not yours, that are affected in the end.
Go Tribe, Hark Upon the Gale.
Sincerely,
~Dustin Glasner
Class of 2010
This is a plea from two William and Mary students. Let's send Delegate Hugo a message that the protection of students' first amendment rights trumps his PERSONAL concerns about morality. I say this as someone who has his own PERSONAL concerns about the morality of such a show. Censorship on a college campus is an incredibly slippery slope. First, comes preventing the Sex Workers Art Show, and next thing you know, the free exchange of thought necessary for a thriving college environment can be shut off whenever someone objects to a particular philosophy that differs from their own.