<p>Thomas Lauren Friedman is known for supporting a compromise resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, modernization of the Arab world, environmentalism and globalization. He was awarded the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary and is known for his book: The World Is Flat. </p>
<p>One of the two audience members who threw pie dishes filled with green whipped cream at New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman last night has been identified as Margaree Little '08.5, she confirmed yesterday.</p>
<p>Little and a male accomplice leapt from their seats seconds into Friedman’s Earth Day lecture in Salomon 101, stunning the crowd and Friedman, who was left with green paste on his face and clothing. Friedman blocked one dish with his hand and dodged the other, but was smeared with the contents of each.</p>
<p>But yeah, I was there with my mom and it was pretty awkward and ridiculous. Sometimes a few idiots do something stupid. Thanks for the PSA though ::rolls eyes::.</p>
<p>Just wondering. Does the Brown administration allow students in classrooms to throw pies at faculty members whose opinions don’t conform to their ideology? Or is this just reserved for guest speakers?</p>
<p>I read the whole piece. I guess I’m having difficulty distinguishing between levels of silliness at Brown.</p>
<p>“Little also said she and her co-pie thrower wanted to open up a dialogue about what it really means to have free speech on an elite college campus like Brown.”</p>
<p>“She said they considered passing out fliers or preparing questions to ask Friedman during a question-and-answer session, but ultimately decided to take a more significant step.”</p>
<p>No, you’re saying that. I’ll be interested in watching how the administration deals with the situation though. I see you’re in Providence. You must have expertise on “****ing moron[s].”</p>
<p>At least they hit him, which is more than can be said for a lot of attempted pie-ers. When Ralph Nader was pied once, he actually caught the pie after it hit him and threw it back.</p>
<p>In any case, it goes without saying that those two idiots are an unrepresentative sample, and that most of the student body does not support them. This is not like the incident at Columbia a couple years back where half the audience joined it - the audience applauded Friedman afterwards.</p>
<p>If you find tuco48’s arguments (which sound like they are from a low-ranked middle school debate team) compelling, then I encourage you to look at other schools, because I’d rather not have you here.</p>
<p>If you knew anything about arguments or even debate, you’d know I didn’t make an argument. Arguments have form. I simply asked a couple of questions about which the Brown students on this board seem to be quite thin-skinned. </p>
<p>"At least they hit him. . " - profound observation in light of the circumstances. Were you on the debate team?</p>
<p>Tuco,
Your questions seem to be inciting arguments. You asked if Brown allows students to throw pies at faculty. It is very obvious that Brown doesn’t allow this behavior and in fact, if you read the article posted, the student who did this act is now going through disciplinary hearings. Brown doesn’t condone this behavior. When bad behavior happens, the school is not at fault. Things happen in any community of people and what needs to be examined is the school’s reaction to it and in this case, the school is intervening with the student in a disciplinary fashion. So, your question has been answsered. No, Brown does not allow pie throwing at faculty or guest speakers. </p>
<p>You asked about the levels of silliness at Brown. This is ONE student who clearly does not represent the Brown community as a whole. To make sweeping generalizations about an entire campus community based on the actions of one student is hard to take seriously. That would be like judging all of Yale based on the student who has the abortion art project. As someone else pointed out, it is not like the Columbia incident in that the Brown students were not cheering on the actions of this one student. Your argument about silliness at Brown would be as if you heard of one student at Brown who was a heroin addict and then generalizing that everyone at Brown does drugs. </p>
<p>I think you’d do better to criticize this student’s behavior rather than come onto a Brown forum and attempt to incite and to be speaking ill of Brown due to the behavior of one student.</p>
<p>Tuco-- the tactic of “innocence” is rather low to employ. Your comments in here were neither constructive, nor were they genuine. If you want to ask questions which have either of those qualities, you’ll find them answered swiftly and knowledgeably by students on this board.</p>
<p>I think you’ll also find, perhaps somewhat guided by my attitude over the years here, that we do not take to ■■■■■■ lightly.</p>
<p>Pardon me for being on the Brown forum. Didn’t the incident happen at Brown? Isn’t the title of the thread, “Brown Students Pie Pulitzer Prize Winner?” There were no “sweeping generalizations.” And I made no “argument.” Those are in your imagination as is the heroin thing. Read the posts. I compared two ridiculous statements made by the pie thrower at Brown. And for that I was called a “****ing moron” by a Brown student on this thread. I did say that I’ll watch to see how the Brown administration handles this incident. As of today I’ve heard of no disciplinary action taken in the case by the administration. </p>
<p>I read Kevin Rose’s soppy column in the Brown Daily Herald that ends:
“So I see where you’re coming from, and I certainly support your First Amendment right to protest Friedman’s pro-capitalist cheerleading. But please, think a little more next time. When you take what could have been a robust dialogue and reduce it to a cutesy attention-grab, you’re committing the same sin as the mustachioed man whose shoulder bore your pie cream. And moreover, you’re giving us all a bad name.”</p>
<p>I also read Rakim Brooks’ '09 letter to the Brown Daily Herald entitled, “Apprehension of pie-thrower out of line,” which condemns Assistant Professor of Biology Stephen Porder for apprehending the student. It seems this student thinks the professor was violating the pie thrower’s rights.</p>
<p>And I glanced at the site, itsgettinghotinhere.org, which has a lively dialog in the comments section including Brown students in attendance, including a long post from Colonel Custard of the Greenwash Guerillas, himself. I’m unclear if he is the unindicted co pie thrower. Colonel Custard is a real comedian. Here’s a comment from the site that strikes a chord with me, “The real comedy in all of this is that a pair of privileged Brown students have convinced themselves that their juvenile act of vanity is actually going to lead to a productive debate that destroys capitalism and stops global warming. Were rolling in the aisles, kids.” </p>
<p>So please excuse me for wondering about silliness at Brown and “inciting arguments.” I notice that you bring up incidents at other Ivys, not to be out done I suppose. Or is it just to spread the slime. I commend the Yale administration for acting immediately on their issue, calling the student in and exposing her nonsense for what it was, a hoax.</p>
<p>I think you were called a moron for posting this, “Just wondering. Does the Brown administration allow students in classrooms to throw pies at faculty members whose opinions don’t conform to their ideology? Or is this just reserved for guest speakers?” NOT for comparing the statements by Little.</p>
<p>And this didn’t put you on anyones good side: "I see you’re in Providence. You must have expertise on “****ing moron[s].”</p>
<p>Tact is not your strong point. But, for the record, I’m agreeing with modestmelody’s assessment of you. You shat on our impression of you the first time you posted. Do you think it’s a coincidence that so many people think you’re being a ■■■■■■? It’s us not you isn’t it?</p>
<p>I wasn’t trying to be put on your good side. I couldn’t care less of your impression or “assessment” of me or your friend’s for that matter. The question seems to have really struck a nerve though. What would happen at Brown if a student threw a pie in a professor’s face for ideological reasons? Would the administration act immediately? Would the student be expelled? Or would they be “considering disciplinary actions?” Would it be considered assault? I notice you avoid the consequences of the discussion. I find it amusing that the Brown Admission’s Office work study spin brigade doesn’t want to just let this go, but continues with ad hominem attacks. It must be doing wonders for the yield keeping this thread at the top of the list.</p>