The Playdate Generation Goes To College
The kids in college now largely seem to be the most coddled generation America has ever seen.
TheFIRE.org's Ari Cohn tweeted:
@AriCohn
Update: After @TheFIREorg letter, @WichitaState calls off Title IX investigation of frat banner, citing #freespeech.
He linked to this article in the Wichita Eagle by Daniel Salazar, "WSU won't discipline students who hung controversial banner."
Ooh, controversy?
The issue related to a banner that briefly hung from the Phi Delta Theta fraternity house on Sept. 8. It offered "free house tours" during Greek recruitment, which some students viewed as encouraging sexual assault and perpetuating rape culture.
Can you think of anything more benign?
In fact, the criticism should be for the banner's utter vanilla lameness.
WSU spokesman Joe Kleinsasser said the banner, which read "New Members Free House Tours!", was up briefly before being taken down. An investigation by the university began shortly thereafter."WSU does not condone sexual harassment in any form," according to a tweet from Wichita State Student Affairs on Sept. 9. "The inappropriate banner at Phi Delt was addressed (and) sent on for further investigation."
WSU's Vice President for Student Affairs Teri Hall said in statement Wednesday that WSU had reviewed the incident.
"The banner triggered uncomfortable feelings, but the banner was protected speech under the First Amendment," Hall wrote. "WSU Student Affairs doesn't believe university disciplinary action is appropriate."
"Any action taken by the fraternity chapter and its members is independent of the university decision," she added.
The fraternity had announced on its Twitter feed over the weekend that the members involved were suspended and that "further investigation is underway."
"The recent actions of two members of our chapter in no way align with the values of Phi Delta Theta," according to the Sept. 9 statement. "We apologize for these actions."
"Uncomfortable feelings" were triggered by it? I get uncomfortable when I see people in nice restaurants wearing flip flops -- and a whole lot more in life -- but I don't feel entitled to go around reporting people's dress or speech over it.
If college students are unable to take a seriously vanilla banner -- the mere suggestion of a suggestion of sex -- as I've said before, the institution they belong in is not one of "higher learning."
Oh, and if this is true -- and I can't believe it is -- we're in way bigger fucking trouble than I'd even imagined:
40% Of Adults In U.S. Sleep With A Teddy Bear, What? https://t.co/aUJBvWe9zq
— Emily Barsh (@EmilyTVproducer) September 14, 2017
via @AriCohn
Three thoughts
1. If offering tours to prospective members is sexual harassment, why does the college offer tours of the campus?
2. Is the frat opposed to
A) offering tours to prospective members, or
B) offering tours in such a public manner?
3. I'm 37, I still have the teddy bear I was given as a child of about five or six, its the only tangible object I own that bears witness to the fact I had a handful of happy moments as a child. I dont sleep with it, but it sits on my shelf next to my sound system
lujlp at September 13, 2017 11:39 PM
Thought number two addendum
Or
C) Failing to charge money for the tours?
lujlp at September 13, 2017 11:42 PM
I'm trying to figure out the problem with the banner as well. Best guess: someone is taking it as an invite for women to get a special "tour" of the house. Heck, maybe that's even the way it's meant. If so, it's a joke, get a life, move on.
a_random_guy at September 14, 2017 2:44 AM
Wonder how these snowflakes will cope when they leave the safe spaces of Romper Room University and see a "For Sale" sign on a house? That's certain to trigger feelings of slavery, bondage and sexploitaion.
Wfjag at September 14, 2017 3:14 AM
I think I would date a chick who collected shrunken heads . . . as long as she herself was not responsible for any of them.
mpetrie98 at September 14, 2017 3:42 AM
MagaWinning! He's actually compassionate!
This would be a great time for one of Raddy's comments about how Trump has a lot of money and a great haircut and is therefore the one to serve the American voters.
Crid at September 14, 2017 5:14 AM
Heck, that is how I chose my current house. It was an open house tour. But I didn't get any free sexual assault with it. :(
I don't have any stuffed bears. But I do have a penguin on the mantle piece, a ryo-ohki on a shelf, and that monster from Montey Python's Holy Grail in a box. There may be others I've forgotten in the boxes.
I do have a plush shark mask in my closet. The kids like to put it on (more like a suit than a mask at their sizes). Then they run around chasing each other shouting 'SHARK! SHARK!'. You can even make the jaw work so you can eat someone when you catch them.
Ben at September 14, 2017 5:43 AM
I forgot to mention the "rape culture." There is "rape culture" and it's in Muslim countries where women are said to be culpable for sexual assault if they aren't all covered up and escorted everywhere in public by a male guardian.
Nobody in America thinks rape is okay who is not a monster.
Luj, that kind of having a teddy bear is sweet and not the same as sleeping with one.
Amy Alkon at September 14, 2017 6:09 AM
It takes an awful lot of "wokeness" to read an invitation to sexual assault into "New Members Free House Tours."
Conan the Grammarian at September 14, 2017 6:25 AM
Most colleges would like to get rid of fraternities, and they'll grab on to any pretense. This was just one of the more transparent ones. They'll come up with something else. As for the frat itself, the Greek organizations are running scared... they're ready to cave in to political correctness already, so it's no surprise to see them not standing behind a chapter.
Cousin Dave at September 14, 2017 7:11 AM
I'm not a huge fan of fraternities, but they do serve a purpose: They give young adults a place to live, and a degree of support during their studies. A good frat (or sorority) isn't just about parties.
Seems to me that the answer is for the frat houses to move off campus. As long as they have properties that are officially on campus, the universities can exert control, even over stupid things. Get them off campus, and get them to cooperate with each other, and they could even become a counterweight to stupid college administrations.
a_random_guy at September 14, 2017 7:30 AM
The nerds that help run universities would love to expel the frats because -- guess what? -- the frats didn't consider them good pledge candidates when they went to college. Frats are mostly exclusionary entities that want nothing to do with nerds like me, geeks and dorks. Expelling them is the Revenge of the Nerds.
(And no, I don't support expulsion of fraternities for being fraternities unless they actually commit crimes.)
mpetrie98 at September 14, 2017 9:39 AM
I have on my bed the Eeyore that was in my crib when I was brought home from the hospital. He's always lived with me and never been put in storage.
Nobody has ever judged me for it. Ever.
SophieK at September 14, 2017 10:17 AM
As a grown man I have to say I am shocked and appalled by this report of stuffed bear dependency.
Which reminds me, I have to get mine into the shop for a rebuild. He's looking more than a little worn around the edges.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 14, 2017 11:31 AM
Nobody has ever judged me for it. Ever. -SophieK
Based on your name you are a chick, and the majority of guys who would judge you are smart enough to keep their mouths shut in hopes of bedding you
lujlp at September 14, 2017 11:48 AM
When I heard about "adult coloring books," I wasn't sure if it was satire. Clearly it's not.
I agree about the mollycoddling of today's young adults. Wonder just who it could have been that mollycoddled them to this point? It's a headscratcher!
Kevin at September 14, 2017 11:49 AM
I still have mine, but only because my parents never threw it away after I left home and, when they died, I inherited it. So, now it sits in a bag in the back of my closet, where it will likely stay until I die.
It's in pretty ratty shape, so donating it is out of the question. Every time I think about throwing it away, it looks up at me with its one remaining button eye and my resolve falters.
A person should not have to throw his own teddy bear away.
Oh well.
Other than that and a Ratbert plush my wife got me for my desk, I have no stuffed animals. No feetie pajamas either.
Conan the Grammarian at September 14, 2017 11:52 AM
I don't remember having a teddy bear as a child, and I don't have one now.
(I do have a couple of nerdish stuffed figures around my desk at work: Catsby and Twisp ones from Penny Arcade, and a Nicholas Tesla one I bought at a used bookstore. But those are decorative items, not cuddle objects.)
And I think "Tell me about your collection of shrunken heads" is a fantastic conversation starter.
Dwight Brown at September 14, 2017 12:20 PM
Is this the banner made someone feel raped?
https://thesunflower.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Screen-Shot-2017-09-10-at-10.45.44-PM-300x303.png
They put it up on the first day of sorority recruitment, and I think it was intended to be an invitation to girls. But so what? How is it wrong for boys to want to meet girls? I thought girls wanted boys to want to meet them. The sign was up for five minutes.
Ken R at September 14, 2017 1:51 PM
We're Homo Sap. We spent a million years coming up the hard way. The predators which tormented us are either extinct or on the endangered species list.
I find it difficult to believe these kids are really like that and it happened in less than, say, twenty years.
I would suggest a couple of alternatives.
1. Kids aren't complete and some may be looking for how to be and whom to be and see the cool kids are whiny wimps.
2. The whiny wimp cohort wants the same thing the admin wants--thought and speech control against conservative thought and people--and pretends to be ready to fall into a puddle of angsty glop if, for example, the film "American Sniper" is shown at U-Mich. In order to protect their vulnerable charges, the admin forbids the showing. Both sides wink at each other. In the instant case, public outcry brought the movie back. In order to help their charges, the ADULTS, that's right, the GROWN UPS, provided a safe space with Play-Doh and teddy bears.
Richard Aubrey at September 14, 2017 6:18 PM
They are temper tantrums Richard. I've got a three year old who does the exact same thing. He doesn't get what he wants so he throws a tantrum. You walk away and he follows you to continue his tantrum. After all the tantrum itself isn't the objective. Attempting to emotionally blackmail you is. Same with the SJWs. They've been trained to throw tantrums. The solution is simple. As long as they aren't violent then you ignore them and arrest them when they break the law. Once it turns violent you put them down as hard and fast as possible. It won't take long for them to understand that throwing a tantrum isn't useful or effective.
"When I heard about "adult coloring books," I wasn't sure if it was satire. Clearly it's not."
Nope, not satire. They actually are pretty good for some people with senile dementia and other mental problems. Works the hand eye coordination and helps to calmly pass the time. But yes they were intended for fully 'functional' adults. Though any adult who does much of that I have a hard time believing they are functional.
Ben at September 14, 2017 7:45 PM
Was it a joke about luring people in? Like a "free candy and clown show" sign on a windowless white van?
Nicolek at September 14, 2017 11:08 PM
In order to help their charges, the ADULTS, that's right, the GROWN UPS, provided a safe space with Play-Doh and teddy bears.
And just which adults produced mini-adults who want Play-Doh and teddy bears?
This one's not on the college administrators. It's on the ones who continually tell us they have The Hardest Job in the World.
Kevin at September 14, 2017 11:28 PM
So, the people who provided the Play-Doh and teddy bears and encouraged their usage in school have zero responsibility for people playing with Play-Doh in school? Great logic there Kevin.
Ben at September 15, 2017 5:23 AM
I've noticed the majority of the anti Trumpers have 'UGE mental block
They've been having this delusional debate in their heads for so long they cant process that most of us who voted for Trump were COUNTING on this sort of double dealing, shifting sand, quagmire of a shit show.
Name me one piece of major legislation he has managed to get passed from his agenda? One piece of major legislation at all?
Sure Trump is chaotic, thats what we wanted. We are hoping that in an effort to curb his insanity congress works together to strip the office of the president back to the level of power it should be at, and not the level where it currently is where the president can generate or destroy legislation via executive order
lujlp at September 15, 2017 7:22 AM
Kevin: "This one's not on the college administrators. It's on the ones who continually tell us they have The Hardest Job in the World."
The parental effort it would take to raise a young adult to college age who needs safe spaces, teddy bears and Play-doh would be the extreme opposite of neglect.
Ben: "So, the people who provided the Play-Doh and teddy bears and encouraged their usage in school have zero responsibility for people playing with Play-Doh in school? Great logic there Kevin."
I think the college administrators are catering to a market. They didn't make the kids that way, they received them in that condition. If a banner that says, "New Members free house tours" is enough to send someone fleeing in a panic to the Play-doh room, then a faculty member telling her, "Oh grow up!" would be enough to send her running home.
Ken R at September 15, 2017 11:21 AM
SophieK, you're a gal, so it's cool. Mildly amusing story: About 15 years ago, I drove out of town to an auto race at a track that was adjacent to a fairgrounds. By coincidence, the state fair was in that weekend, and since I got there early, I decided to wander around the fair for a while before the races started. Randomly, I tried my hand at a ring toss game -- and I won. First time in my entire life that I ever won anything at one of those games. I got to pick out a prize, and I saw a teddy bear and figured my wife would find it cute, so I chose that. When I got home, I held it out to her and said, "Look, I won you a bear at the state fair! What's more American male than that?" She laughed. She still has the bear; it guards a bookshelf in our office.
Cousin Dave at September 15, 2017 11:29 AM
@luljp
Yes, I am indeed a woman, and a cute one at that. However, in the last 30 years I have let a mere six people into my bedroom. Because I am a severely introverted hermit and most people are sufficiently annoying that my skin crawls at the prospect of letting them in my home, much less my bed.
Those that know about my Eeyore are mostly coworkers and friends and acquaintances over the years. This subject comes up in conversation surprisingly frequently, and we, men and women both, are usually comparing notes, and have even brought in pictures the next day,
Zero courtship involved.
SophieK at September 16, 2017 9:41 PM
Leave a comment