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The Chronicle of Higher Education: Colloquy

COLLOQUY
THE QUESTION
RESPONSES
BACKGROUND

Ms. Morrigan claims that if you are using someone's identity without their consent, then the only "right thing to do" is to cease using it. How ridiculous.

Let's take the Washington Redskins football team. Exactly whom should we contact to get their consent? The Apache? The Sioux? And what if one tribe gives their consent but another doesn't? What then? Oh, I know, we'll ask everybody who has the slightest claim of American Indian heritage to make sure we have unanimous consent.

This whole argument is getting downright stupid. No one has any right to complain unless they can prove---yes, the operational word here folks is prove---that they were physically or financially harmed by the name usage. Claims of emotional damage are frivolous and should be completely ignored.

My gosh, I'll be so glad when this PC silliness is finally put into its proper place---the trash can.

-- Rebecca Hayes-Norton, Associate Professor, Our Lady of the Lake College (LA) (posted 4/23, 5:50 p.m., U.S. Eastern time)
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