<p>I'm surprised that no one has mentioned what has come to be known as the "Mary Jane Hitler" controversy at Williams. For more, read here:</p>
<p>You'll find plenty of inspired debate on this topic at ephblog (a Williams devoted web site used primarily by alums):</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ephblog.com%5B/url%5D">www.ephblog.com</a></p>
<p>What's exactly to talk about. This young woman seems to be quite fond of shocking people. I suspect if Mary-Jane were an athletic recruit, rather than a theater recruit, I-dad would have chimed in by now.</p>
<p>MikeyD:</p>
<p>You might want to reconsider the wisdom of poking me. If you notice, I have (intentionally) not posted about the controversy here. I mean, if you really insist, I would would be glad to discuss the issue. Your call.</p>
<p>Oooooh scary.</p>
<p>Quite frankly, I disagree with virtually all of the stances you take. I think you have been insufficiently harsh on Ms. Hitler in other forums. She should be expelled!!!! Whether or not her little adventure in parody was intended solely for shock value is totally irrelevant. No doubt, Ms. Drama Queen loves all of the attention she's been getting from this incident. </p>
<p>Don't threaten me via the ethers. I live in the same city as you. You are free to send me a private message, and I will meet with you in person.</p>
<p>I meant, don't encourage me to post about the controversy. I'm trying to mind my P's and Q's. I don't think the story is representative of Willams College.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I think you have been insufficiently harsh on Ms. Hitler in other forums. She should be expelled!!!!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Ridiculous. Completely ridiculous.</p>
<p>Oh, come on MikeyD! Cool it, and stop misrepresenting Williams to the CC community.</p>
<p>Having reviewed various articles and blogs about this matter, I'm amazed that nobody seems to be asking how the heck this young woman was ever accepted to Williams? What a nut! What's her background -- legacy kid? big buck donor family? geographical admit? Everyone I've met in the past from Williams struck me as rational, regardless of whether I agree or disagree with their political views. This student is clearly off the rails -- appears to be somewhat bright, but is also perhaps (maybe definitely) mentally ill. What's really bizarre is that there is so much talk about her "free speech" rights. Williams is a private institution; it's not what lawyers call a 'state actor.' Thus, it's mostly free to set limits on certain behaviors that can't be regulated at a state school. It's also not a psychiatric hospital, where the student would appear to belong. (I realize that many Williams grads cannot imagine how a non-alumnus would have 'standing' to comment, but that's just nutty.)</p>
<p>"how the heck this young woman was ever accepted to Williams"</p>
<p>She may have been slotted to the theatre department. MikeyD would probably know more about that than I do.</p>
<p>"perhaps mentally ill"</p>
<p>I've heard about medical studies that peg psychosis to heavy, prolonged marijuana usage -- and Cordray admits to having been a longtime celebrant of "stoner day" or whatever the heck 4-20 is called.</p>
<p>Let's just say the Administration has been less than forthcoming, leaving students confused about whether this is a "free speech" issue, or one where they have responsibility to educate students about community responsibility, how to respond to perceived community threats, or about the full meaning of anti-Semitism. They haven't done a good job.</p>
<p>As for Cordray - an individual crazy can land anywhere, and can get through the best of admissions screening, so I wouldn't fault Williams for that. I would fault them greatly for how they handled it.</p>
<p>I sincerely doubt that weed did this to her.</p>
<p>Although I have no official connection to Williams, I was deepen saddened to see this occur there. I happen to belong to a minority group and can empathisize with the feelings and reactions of some of the Jewish students. However, there is an undercurrent of racism and anti-semitism that exists in many places in the U.S., although we do not tend to think of it lurking at elite, Northeastern, LACs. But it does. If I remember correctly, several years ago, a student at Amherst posted a racist diatribe anonymously when a female friend of his was unfortunately assaulted by someone of another race in his hometown. The reaction among students was a naiive surprise that something so hurtful could have been written on their campus and that someone who held such extreme racist views was among their classmates. I also know there have been several African-American students who received anonymous hate-mail at Trinity College, and ended up transferring. Shocking as it may seem, we should not be surprised there is racism on college campuses; however, usually, it is more subtle and restrained. I am glad that Ms. Cordray took ownership of her action althought I don't know whether she had the "courage" to stand up for her beliefs or whether it was announced as suggested by the article . Nonetheless, it does somehow make the whole incident seem less insidious when an actual person doing something like that is identified. At least she can be confronted and asked why she did it-an advantage at a small college. It also may comfort some Jewish students to know that there is not a pervasive anti-semitic conspiracy when only one student is involved. On the other hand, from her comments in the Williams Record, there must be other students that support her actions and views, or at least fail to see the incredible insensitivity and hurtfulness of their actions. Have they considered how their actions transgressed the "personal space" of others? There is a huge difference between irritation (at the hassle of taking down a poster on your door) and personal offence and racism towards another person.</p>
<p>Such denial definitely existed during the Second World War. Many bright, educated, and cultured Germans sympathisized with the Nazis or at least turned a blind eye towards their actions in their own country. I disagree with the posters above in this regard. People who are highly-educated and otherwise rational, can still be racists. they somehow end up compartmentalizing that part of their lives. Moral consanant dissonance? In fact, some even tried to provide pseudo-scientific explanation for their views that could arguably be called rataional. Racists DO NOT have to be mentally ill. I highly recommend Goldhagen's "HItler's Willing Executionsers" if anyone wonders what can happen when racism, particularly anti-Semitism, goes unquestioned and unchallenged. Remember, even in our own history, some slavery advocates claimed certain biblical passages or racial theories supported slavery as a natural order. We cannot be dsmissive ot this issue.</p>
<p>I would hope there could indeed be a rational discourse at Williams on this topic of freedom of speech vs. hate speech and the need for respect and tolerance of all views. I don't know whether Ms. Cordray and perhaps some strong free speech advocates on campus would be willing to debate openly others who were deeply hurt and offended by her actions. Finding that balance could be very useful for students and citizens living in a pluralistic world with seemingly irreconciliable points of view.</p>
<p>I also add that I very much support responsible free speech on campus although Ms. Cordray crossed the line of what is appropriate and responsible. Some students who have opinions against abortion and homosexuality for religious or moral reasons can have a difficult time in a PC-oriented campus culture. That me another extreme of censorship. Finding the right balance between freedom of expression and mutual respect for others and their right to a differing opinion/belief is key.</p>
<p>I agree wholeheartedly, which is why I think the Ephministration did such a poor job in helping educate future leaders of America about how to seek such a balance in a diverse, changing, and volatile world.</p>
<p>pymen -
You always add so much to the Williams board. Thanks for coming over from the Amherst board. All kidding aside about "mortal enemies for life," when we alums tell students who are choosing between Amherst and Williams that they can't go wrong either way, it isn't heresy at all: we are thinking about Amherst alumni like you (the sorts of people we often meet at joint Williams-Amherst events, people who remind us how much we have in common). I'm always glad when you visit us. Come back often, with your thoughtfully balanced insights.</p>
<p>A recent, somewhat hidden thread on the subject.
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=338504%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=338504</a></p>
<p>What? "How did this person get accepted to Williams?" "She is metally ill..." "She should be expelled..."</p>
<p>How rediculously insane! What ever happened to free speech?? This young woman has as much right to post her Hitler posters as the as the Holocaust people have to post their posters. It doesn't matter that she offended 99.9% of the campus, she still has every right to express herself in whatever way she sees fit, so long as she does not directly harm others or their property, or directly advocate a felony. Ro the person who said that there is a boundary between free speach and "respecting each other" or some other such PC hogwash: where do you find this in the Constitution? "...no law...abridging the freedom of speech (unless, God forbid, anyone is <em>gasp</em> offended)..." The Hitler girl had no obligation to respect anyone without making a choice to do so.</p>
<p>Look. I am Jewish. I live in Israel, as you can see. Frankly, the Hitler posters disgust me. But that has nothing to do with the basic right to self-expression that every American citizen has.</p>
<p>The fact that she can doesn't mean that she should. This is about common(?) courtesy and respect for others much more than it's about free speech.</p>
<p>Now let's get to the only truly controversial thing in this thread: If you go to Williams, do you have to listen to people say cutesy things like "Ephministration" instead of administration every day? Is it a cult of cute? I've been to companies like that, with little insider mantras and cutesy codewords, which are a bad sign.</p>