SwiftVets.com

[AZVet61]

When the Associated Students of the University of Arizona [ASUA] announced that it had engaged Michael Moore to speak on campus on October 13, all hell broke loose among many of the UofA alums. I and others attempted to get the Administration of the University to intervene and cancel Moore's appearance, all to no avail. I sent many emails to my friends and fellow alums, culminating in the following email, which I thought you might appreciate:

"This is my last email on the subject of Michael Moore and the UofA [unless, of course, I change my mind], and I can hear the sighs of relief. It is obvious that nothing is going to come of the many complaints to President Peter Likins and/ or the ASUA--nothing, that is, by way of action cancelling Moore's appearance. Moore has made a fool of the University--and the other 61 or so colleges that hired him to spew his venom--and he is laughing all the way to the Banque National de Paris. But, making fools of people is what he does--and unfortunately gets paid for. I'm sure Moore's success at appearing at all but 2 or 3 of the campuses that originally scheduled him [Hooray for George Mason U and Cal State-San Marcos!] has fortified his opinion that Americans are indeed the dumbest people on earth. I read today that there was not even a murmur of protest at Bryn Mawr College. Now, why doesn't that surprise me?
But, I also read today that the UofA and the ASUA are taking a look at scheduling some more prestigious conservative speakers--more prestigious, that is, than David Hardy, who co-wrote "Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man" and whose job it is to counter-balance Moore's baloney. Some suggestions have been Sean Hannity [very good], Ann Coulter [ok, but not great], Nixon's speech writer and TV personality [at least his money was], Ben Stein [entertaining, but not enough clout]. Bill O'Reilly, or "BOR" as the bloggers call him [a terrible choice--he couldn't handle Moore in his interview with him, coming off very poorly and who has really pissed off the SwiftVets--and me--by joining John McCain in praising Kerry's war-hero status and criticizing the Swiftees for attacking Kerry's post-war activities. The person I would really like to see is Dr. Jack Wheeler--check him out on Google or access his site, www.tothepointnews.com. Dr.Wheeler is a very knowledgeable and respected author and commentator and has highlighted some of Kerry's lesser-known transgressions, like blocking, single-handedly, as Chair of the Senate East Aisan and Pacific Affairs Committee, passage of the Vietnam Human Rights Act which would have denied American aid to Vietnam unless it stopped its genocidal depredations of the Montagnard people [Vietnam has reduced the Montgnard population from 2 million to around 700,000] and other violations of human rights. One wonders at Kerry's allegiance--some suspect it's payback to the Vietnamese for posting his picture in a place of honor in the Hanoi war museum.
The damage to the UofA, while perhaps not yet fully realized, has nevertheless been cast. Long-time supporters of the University have vowed to back up their anger with terminations of moral and financial support. A couple of days ago, I received a copy of a 5-page, handwritten letter from a prominent 1954 grad, whose family has in it 4 generations of UofA graduates--15 in all--and whose family has endowed full scholarships in the Ag College in honor of a prominent family head and, more recently, a full scholarship for the women's softball program. This gentlelady, whose 50-year support of the University has now come to an end, wrote perhaps the most poignant and eloquent expression of anger and disappointment I have read in the course of this whole mess. I wish I could share all of it. Suffice it to say, it was very moving, and if it didn't cause President Likins to flinch, nothing will. I also received from a college chum and fraternity brother, who has a long history of support for the University, Dr. Likins's answer to his letter of protest over the Moore engagement. The letter from Dr. Likins was, or at least attempted to be, more explanatory than the glib, superficial response most of us received from his office. It was not satisfactory, however, if for no other reason than it convinces me that Dr. Likins has come down firmly on the side of "his students", and whose primary job, as he sees it is to be their buddy--at least that's how I interpret his pronouncements. Moreover, it convinces me that, as Cool Hand Luke said, "what we have here is a failure to communicate". And, if there is anything a university CEO must be, it is a communicator--an expert in public relations--or at least have the ability and willingness to bring in the experts when something like this erupts--someone, perhaps, from the University's own departments where they teach communications and public relations, for God's sake! Instead, the University staffed the response team with people like Karen Fillipelli, who explained to me that the problem was that we--she and I, presumably, had "differing belief systems". Moreover, the Administration failed to provide any guidance to the student head of the ASUA speaker's bureau who hired Moore, and when alums managed to reach him--as did the lady I spoke of earlier, he went off on her--creating a new flap and further damage to the University. Additionally, I am convinced that the decision to engage Moore caught the administration completely off guard. There was no liaison with the ASUA--no adult supervision or guidance, which might have helped to explain, before the deal was made, the real world consequences to the UA of bringing a wacko to campus in the name of "Civic Engagement".
Further illustrating the damage caused by this ill-advised venture are some of the responses I have seen to the email of the head of the UofA Alumni Association, asking for alumni support of Proposition 102, which would let Arizona universities share in the profits of their R&D efforts. Instead of demurring on support for the proposition on the basis that, until the universities began to balance R&D with some classroom teaching by professors instead of letting TA's do all of it, as has been the case for too long, one response simply told Wally that, because of Moore, the University could--well, you know.
When a family member questioned my sanity in raising hell over this, I wondered if I might be alone in my rage, but, after seeing some of the emails sent to Dr. Likins and reading accounts in various newspapers, including the Arizona Daily Wildcat, I know I'm not. And, if there is a siver lining to this cloud, it is that conservative groups on campus, including the UA College Republicans, have been galvanized by the affair, something that would please commentator John Leo who has proclaimed, as Sir Winston said, an end to the beginning of liberal domination of American college campuses. Maybe, just maybe, we're not as stupid as Michael Moore thinks we are."

AZVet61