Embroiled University Professor Writes His Own Land Acknowledgment, Acknowledges the Land Isn’t Stolen – Opinion

We’re living in an age of ritual.

Vibration signaling is infinitely more valuable than virtue possessing.

You want to remain politically conservative? Just speak or type certain words — perhaps the perfect hashtag — and you’re greatly golden.

Gone, it seems, are the days of character — that requires, generally speaking, action.

This is what we mean by sacrifice.

In our modern mode, such a thing isn’t particularly prized.

One example of a virtuous veneer is the “land acknowledgment.”

It’s fashionable to begin classes, conferences, and the like with the confession of a crime — that of stealing property from its rightful owners.

For reasons unclear, the mere act of stating you’re a thief lends you carte blanche to continue the theft.

It is currently being used by the University of Washington. But, one professor has recently been in the spotlight for applying a unique spin to the practice.

Courtesy of UW’s Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity’s webpage, the following is made clear:

University of Washington recognises Coast Salish Peoples of this Land, that touches all Tribes and Bands within the Suquamish Tulalip, Muckleshoot Nations.*

This is what the asterisk means:

*The language we use to honor place was developed over the course of several years by the UW Tribal Liaison with input from tribal elders, elected tribal leaders, attendees of the annual UW Tribal Leadership Summit, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, UW Native American Advisory Board and others across our community. UW Leadership uses this template language during ceremonies to recognize that Our campus is located on an occupied piece of land.

As relayed by The College Fix, UW “recommends that professors acknowledge in their syllabi that they are teaching on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish people, a Native American tribe that lived in the northeastern part of the state.”

Prof. Stuart Reges’ Computer Science and Engineering 143 course syllabus was created this way by Stuart Reges:

“I acknowledge that by the labor theory of property the Coast Salish people can claim historical ownership of almost none of the land currently occupied by the University of Washington.”

However, not everyone was enthusiastic.

Amid an email to the Fix, Stuart explained that — in the words of John Locke — the labor theory of property contends “you come to possess land by mixing your labor with the land (like growing crops there).”

What about the “woke” theory of college?

Per the Fix, UW issued an email to Stuart’s students.

Magdalena Balazinska, Director of Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering:

“It is extremely important to me and other faculty in the Allen School that CSE 143, and all our classes, be inclusive environments. We have now updated the course syllabus to remove the statement.”

Magdalena wrote TCF also:

“The statement Stuart Reges included in his syllabus was inappropriate, offensive and not relevant to the content of the course he teaches. The invocation of Locke’s labor theory of property dehumanizes and demeans Indigenous people and is contrary to the long-standing relationship and respect the UW has with and for the Coast Salish peoples and the federally recognized tribes within the state of Washington.”

She noted that academic materials can be altered at the school’s discretion.

FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights, has requested that university officials relax.

They correspond with the Fix

“The university has censored his syllabus by removing his modified land acknowledgment requirement, and created a shadow course to compete with his section. This course of conduct is retaliation in response to Reges’s views on land acknowledgments, in violation of the First Amendment.”

Stuart continues to teach his class, just so you are clear. The school now has a new section that is taught by another instructor.

Can UW reverse their censorship policy? I wouldn’t bet “yes.”

It’ll be interesting to see if the principle behind land acknowledgments penetrates other robberies — maybe “I acknowledge that the money in the register doesn’t belong to me” will one day allow gun-toting thieves to go unpunished.

New York may be the best place to test this point.

As for recommended rituals, exploiting the word “Indigenous” is certainly one. Such is the heralded term for American Indians, though historians suggest they are no more indigenous than anyone else — their ancestors reportedly came to North America via the Bering Strait.

Land acknowledgments, whatever the situation may be, are everywhere.

Although critics might accuse practitioners, such signaling helps keep away the cancellation fairy.

If the allegation’s correct — at least for now — maintaining rectal righteousness is highly advised.

-ALEX

 

You can find more of my content here:

Medical School Eyes Hiring ‘Leaders’ Based on Social Justice Views, Teaching Organs Aren’t Gender-Specific

A Former President Scalds the American Psychological Association Over Wokeness Worthy of ‘Shame’

Major University Eyes Forcing Professors to Pledge to ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ or Have Their Tenures Denied

All my RedState works Click here.

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