Bacon's Rebellion

Just celebrating our differences or not?

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by

James A. Bacon
in

The Daily Press carried an AP story on Sunday, Sept. 18th, about the former Associate Director of Equity and Diversity for George Mason University getting sentenced to eight years in prison. The Diversity expert had been videotaping himself having sex with several young men in his home and campus office and then trying to blackmail them. Interestingly, the Fairfax County judge suspended six of the fourteen-year sentence for manufacturing child pornography, possessing child pornography and extortion. Note that he was not convicted of sodomy with minors, even though four young men testified that they were under 18 when they had sex with him — thanks to the SCOTUS, especially Sandra Day O’Connor, overturning ‘settled’ law like Roe v Wade a mere 17 years after SCOTUS kept sodomy a state issue as the Constitution indicates.

Now, I didn’t republish this fellow’s name because he isn’t the issue. This criminal could have come from any walk of life. Which is precisely why, if he had been a Roman Catholic priest, this story would not have been on page B3. A set of legitimate questions would have been raised, no, trumpeted, by the MSM. So, here in the blogosphere a different set of legitimate questions should be raised for this fellow, even if it isn’t on the MSM agenda.

1. What ‘class of protected persons’ did this fellow represent? Was he an Associate Director of Equity and Diversity because of his ethnicity or sexual behavior?

2. If he was hired based on his expertise on a protected class of persons’ sexual behavior, how did GMU distinguish between sexual diversity and perversity? Or not?

3. What does the Associate Director for Equity and Diversity do 40 hours a week? How does that help build educational excellence at GMU?

4. What is the pay of the Associate Director? How many are there? Other staff and their pay? How much does the Director make? What does this person do 40 hours a week?

5. How much is the total, loaded pay rate, travel, office, utilities, etc. cost for the office of Equity and Diversity at GMU?

The General Assembly should deduct the cost of this office, however few millions, from our Commonwealth support to GMU. Do the same for other colleges and universities. Next budget cycle if they still have those offices, double the deduction from their support.

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  1. The Jaded JD Avatar
    The Jaded JD

    The Lawrence decision does not decriminalize sodomy–or any other sex–with minors. Blending fact with hyperbole does not sell your argument. If the anti-sodomy statute had been amended, after Lawrence, to exclude private, non-commercial behavior between consenting adults, then the statute would probably be less constitutionally suspect and more widely available for precisely this kind of behavior. But some folks prefer to have a statute that makes a political statement to a statute that gives prosecutors clear tools for going after pedophiles.

  2. James Atticus Bowden Avatar
    James Atticus Bowden

    Thanks for clarifying what the GA could do post-Lawrence. If SCOTUS had not changed settled law, then the old sodomy law would fit, would it not?

  3. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Your post seems to combine at least three elements that hardly seem related. The first is the impact of the Lawrence decision on prosecution of sexual acts with underage victims. JD has put you to rights on that – there’s nothing about Lawrence that prohibits such prosecutions. I would go a bit beyond JD’s comment to wager that there are adequate laws on the books at this moment that forbid adult/minor sexual relations of any variety. I’d be surprised if the GA needed to do anything post-Lawrence to protect minors from sexual exploitation. If I’m wrong, then they should see to it in one of their coffee breaks from spouting nonsense about the state budget. What was the basis for your flat statement that the perp in this case was not prosecuted because of that particular Supreme Court decision? Did the CA say that? It would surprise me greatly. If that was not a stated reason for not pursuing charges, you may wish to consider a gracious apology to Mme Justice O’Connor. She’s a very tolerant and decent lady, I think she would go easy on you.

    The second idea is worth discussing – is there a valid point or appropriate role for “diversity” officials in our public universities (or anywhere for that matter)? If so, what is their function and what is the cost of sustaining that function? It’s worth talking about, not because of this incident, but because we’re wrestling with this in several areas around the state (recent posts about UVA bring this to the fore). It’s also worth talking about what we are trying to accomplish: what classes of people merit this special attention; how do we justify any approach other than strict racial, ethnic, religious, neutrality? Does that neutrality extend to sexual preference/orientation (assuming that the hetero and homo classes are refraining from molesting children and/or animals)?

    The third point seems to be that there’s a link between this man’s sexual (in this case, homosexual) predations and the concept of having a diversity billet in the administration of the university. If he was hired because of his sexual orientation, I would find that as offensive as if he were denied employment because of this sexual orientation. On the other hand, I doubt his criminal activity had much to do with his role as a diversity whatever-the-hell-his-job-title was. The man is simply sick and/or given over to criminality. He could have as well been a shop teacher or a blacksmith and committed the same crime.

    We get better analysis in blog like this if people keep separate ideas separate. If you want to say that diversity posts at Virginia universities lead to sexual predation against minors that used to be illegal but is now legal because of Sandra Day O’Connor, say it straight out (you came close). When you mix these various threads together, the resulting yarn is confusing indeed.

  4. James Atticus Bowden Avatar
    James Atticus Bowden

    Anon: You did a nice disaggregation. Sorry to make it confusing. The individual issues are worth discussing in their own right. The one point you didn’t mention is that of ‘settled law’ or not, which is also worth discussion.

  5. James Young Avatar
    James Young

    It’s nice to see that the extra money being extracted from Virginia’s taxpayers by last year’s tax increase … er, “budget reform” is being put to such good use. Doesn’t it just make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? Or is that nausea?

  6. CG2 Avatar
    CG2

    In my lifetime, I went to legally segregated schools, being bussed (as late as 1961, 7 years after Brown) past the closest school in Fairfax County because it was for black children. I was also denied the opportunity to apply to several universities (one of which was UVA, a state university legally segregated by gender until 1970) simply because I am a woman.

    The fact that GMU, UVA and other Virginia public colleges legally segregated by race and/or gender less than one generation ago now have diversity offices to assist in the recruitment and rentention of students and faculty previously denied admission or employment is neither astounding nor risible. It is simply necessary … as evidenced by the current racial issues at UVA,the facts and arguments relied on by the SCOTUS in the Michigan affirmative action cases and the work of William Bowen in The Shape of the River.

    University diversity offices are set up to facilitate and educate … something that makes sense when (mostly) young people of different backgrounds and experience come together for the first time in a residential learning environment often quite different from their home towns and their high schools. And,it’s something that makes sense when faculties don’t share the backgrounds or experience of their students who are increasingly women (over 60% of undergraduates at most selective colleges that don’t discriminate in admission by accepting less qualified men) and minority. And, to the extent the offices assist colleges in addressing discrimination based on sexual orientation, it’s something that makes sense particularly given the prevalence of the kind of ignorance about sexual orientation (and more?)reflected in some of the commentary included in this thread.

  7. James Young Avatar
    James Young

    CG2, allow me to paraphrase: These offices help indoctrinate young skulls full of mush into the grievance industry, hence perpetuating a culture of grievance, entitlement, and reliance upon government, rather than one of self-reliance and achievement. It thereby empowers Democrat/far Left politicians, and is necessary.

    And BTW, it’s “sex,” not “gender.” “Sex” refers to the differences between men and women. “Gender” is a term of language which has been misappropriated and misused by the aforementioned grievance industry. And, to quote a button worn by former EEOC Commissioner Ricky Silberman, “Sex is better than gender.”

  8. James Atticus Bowden Avatar
    James Atticus Bowden

    CG@: So these offices: assist in the recruitment and rentention of students and faculty previously denied admission or employment
    and
    University diversity offices are set up to facilitate and educate”..what?

    Recruitment should be done by the Dean of Admissions. Retention is a leadership challenge for every dean.

    Facilitate and educate mean something that creates educational excellence or are simply divisive lectures, panels and propaganda on making sure people are treated as classes of persons instead of individuals. Like the UVA First Year parent breakfasts which are divided (separate but equal of course) into Black, Asian and Other. Not unity, but division.

    I still would like to see a work analysis of what each person does in these offices.

    There are 3 or 4 complete k-12 cycles of students in integrated schools in the Commonwealth. Assuming that some students need special attention – as if bureaucrats provide that – based on their ethnicity or sexual behavior, instead of as individuals is insulting.

  9. CG2 Avatar
    CG2

    Do we need to define the word “assist”? I doubt that would aide in bringing us closer together on this issue. Nor do I think debating sex vs. gender will help us.

    Of course, on your theory of no help from bureaucrats for individual classes of students with special experience or characteristics, we wouldn’t have had the GI bill, which helped a special class of people (mostly men) in an earlier generation obtain an education, or the creation of a whole new profession (physician assistants) for corpsmen returning from Viet Nam, required affirmative action for Viet Nam era and disabled Vets (with which these diversity offices also assist universities with compliance) nor would we have provided any special counseling for the beneficiaries of the GI bill if they struggled once enrolled in college.

    And, your premise about 3 to 4 generations of kids in integrated schools (k-12) is clearly flawed. I challenge you to visit the schools in the Richmond area to find the models of “integrated” schools even today that you seem to believe have been the experience of most children since when? Taking your lower estimate — 39 years ago was (3 times 13) 1966. Let’s see … the Richmond busing case didn’t end until 1986 when Merhige approved a neighborhood school plan and the case was being hotly contested through at least 1972. UVA’s first class of women who had been admitted as freshman graduated in 1974.

    Looking at demographic realities, before a couple of more college student generations pass, the clear majority of college students, particularly in traditional selective undergraduate schools, will be women and minorities. Then, white men will be adding the needed diversity to college campuses. Wonder how you’ll feel about these kinds of programs then?

  10. John Alexander Golden Avatar
    John Alexander Golden

    First of all, he should have gone to jail longer, but for the blackmail, sex with minors, and distribution of child pornography. Not for being a Diversity expert.

    Second, I think the questions that you ask about the diversity position are valid to ask and should be answered. But you’ve simultaniously asked a whole group of questions, and then immediately jumped to the conclusion (without answers) that this office should be removed, money deducted, and similar positions removed at other schools. Problematic for two reasons:
    1) You don’t have the answers to any of these questions. I don’t have them either, didn’t go to GMU.
    2) Even if other colleges and universities have similar positions or programs, schools in Virginia have some level of autonomy in deciding how to administer these programs.

    I think it’s unfair to suddenly jump to the conclusion that everything involving the word “diversity” be punished because one school hired a slimebag.

    And finally: I think it’s offensive to tie the Supreme Court decision that decriminalized private and consensual sexual acts between two adults to child molestation. This guy didn’t molest anyone because sodomy is legal. He molested cause he’s a damn sicko. The implied connection between homosexuality and child molestation is not only offensive but innacurate (the majority of sexual predators are actaully heterosexuals according to various studies, including a year 2000 survey by M.R. Stevenson in the Jouranl of Psychology & Human Sexuality)

    If we’re going to have a discussion about diversity and the application of diversity programs at our schools, lets have one. Lets not interrupt with with a discussion on sodomy just to get someone riled up.

    End of rant.

  11. James Atticus Bowden Avatar
    James Atticus Bowden

    Anon: Agree with your disaggregation of the issues like the other fellow. One minor point on stats. The majority of pediophiles are hetero because the majority of the population is hetero. In fact something like 35% of child abusers are homo which is way out of proportion of their population (2% – others say other numbers). But that is an aside.

    The main point is what do these Equity and Diversity Offices do.

    CG2: We are talking past each other. Talk about if Veterans should have had school counselors, I don’t remember a Vet office when I went to grad school – maybe there was one, in a separate thread. Likewise, the de jure vs de facto segregation is a separate issue.

    What do these offices do? I’d love to see a break down of their 40 hour weeks and monthly schedules for the whole academic year.

    Someone does need to define ‘assist’ because it is a different word than ‘teach’. Colleges are supposed to teach.

    It is so odd to me that Liberals don’t find separate but equal parent functions at a college patently racist. That Liberals don’t care that a dean throws all the white kids out of a meeting.

    Liberals don’t get that an office that specifies persons as being in protected ‘classes’ is antithetical to the ideals of our Nation.

    Liberals need to read Animal Farm again. All animals are equal. But some animals are more equal.

    White males will not become a protected class. First, it is against the liberal theology to ever allow that. Too many liberal myths would lose their bogeyman. Second, what self-respecting individual would plead for special favors based on skin color and gender?

    The issue is education over indoctrination. I’d like to know exactly what these offices do. I suspect they are wasteful expenditures that create more division than unity on campus.

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