Mystery Colleague at Gallaudet Univ uses the "N" word in Hate Letter

Mystery Colleague at Gallaudet Univ uses the "N" word in Hate Letter. Yeah. You heard it right. An overly immature if not wholly unprofessional letter was directed at Dr. Angela McCaskill who was recently re-instated as Chief Diversity Officer at Gallaudet University.  The source of the letter was found in Facebook under The Intersection: Deaf/People of Color Forum which is a closed group (private). The letter was procured from that Facebook group in an excellent blog piece called Diversity: Holding the Chief Diversity Officer and office accountable – epilogue written by Kojo Amissah (note: the offending words have been partially redacted in my blog).

Dear Angela, 

 I am a colleague of yours at the University and it was with great dismay that I heard the news that the University has reinstated to you to your position. The University is a chicken-shit organization for re-instating you, Angela. Your signing the petition against gay marriage shows that you are a bigoted, religious freak, out of touch with the majority of citizens in your state and in the country. 

 In fact, your signing the petition shows that you are just a stupid, ignorant nig*** b itch. There, Angela – how do you like being called names? You are a nig*** bitch. I said it again. By signing the petition showing that you are against marriage for a gay person such as myself you show your ignorance and stupidity. I frankly don’t care if it is your religious faith – your religious faith has NO business in politics. 

You are not wanted here at the University, Angela – you should pack your bags and leave – why don’t you get a job working for some right-wing, anti-gay organization – you’d be much, much more comfortable in such a position. You performance here at the University, frankly, wasn’t that great anyway. Stupid nig*** – see, again, how does it feel? It hurts, doesn’t it? I hopes it hurts you as much as your position has hurt me. 

When you see me smiling at you on campus you won’t know it was me who wrote the letter. But I’ll be there, watching you, you hypocrite. 

Signed, 

A former friendly colleague

I don't know the situation behind this letter or how the letter arrived, or whether there's any truth that the letter did in fact come from one of the teachers or professors at Gallaudet University since this "mystery colleague" signed the letter as "A former friendly colleague."  Let's assume this letter did come from one of the staff members at Gallaudet University.

First off.

Whoever wrote this letter is a coward, possibly a racist, possibly against diversity, and certainly a person full of hate against Dr. McCaskill, That much is obvious. This "mystery colleague" is not the sole arbitrator deciding who is not worthy to stay at Gallaudet University. It's the tried and tired "agree with me or else" political correctness attitude just because somebody doesn't fit your own ideological purity test. It's people like "former friendly colleague" who gives Gallaudet University a bad name.  A person who refuses to allow true diversity on campus. A person who twist the words of Dr. McCaskill. A letter that is perhaps just as bad as instigating a witch hunt against her in the name of political correctness. And yet this "former friendly colleague" forgot the fact that even those in the gay community supported Dr. McCaskill.  She has not used hate words against people in that manner like "former friendly college" either directly or indirectly.  There is no justification to write that letter in that manner.

And now you have this "mystery colleague" walking somewhere in the midst of the Gallaudet University campus. Each student will now sit down in class and wonder, "Is this the teacher who wrote that racist letter."  Or perhaps a staff member will be thinking in the back of his or head while speaking to another staff member, "Could this be the letter writer?"  A ghost walking amongst them.

Maybe teachers and professors at Gallaudet University ought to stand up and identify themselves and condemn that hate letter written.

Hurwitz Caves...McCaskill reinstated

Yesterday Washington Post reported that Dr. Angela McCaskill was given her job back as Chief Diversity Officer.

Her reinstatement was announced Monday in an e-mail to students, staff and faculty from university President T. Alan Hurwitz. “I personally look forward to working with Dr. McCaskill,” he said.

Hurwitz’s announcement said that many members of the school community had reached out to him in a “clearly heartfelt manner.” Recent weeks were “a period of reflection for all of us,” he said.

He also praised the “overall maturity” shown in the community’s willingness to consider the “differing views others may hold.”

It's no surprise that president Hurwitz backed down on proceeding on the removal of Dr. McCaskill after realizing Gallaudet University had no legal case against Dr. Angela McCaskill for removing her as Chief Diversity Officer. The moment she hired a lawyer in October last year and 5 days later president Hurwitz backpedaled furiously the comment he made earlier about the suspension truly showed which direction the case would go. It's no surprise that Dr. McCaskill retained her original position and title. Gallaudet University/Hurwitz had no case at all to begin with to act upon the faux pas suspension. Dr. Bienvenu had no case to go through this witch hunt in the effort to get her fired. In the end, Dr. McCaskill was most likely well compensated with Gallaudet University settling this out of court on what could've been a potentially expensive lawsuit. That's my guess. And something that Gallaudet University wouldn't have been able to financially afford the lawsuit and all of the continuing negativity - a potential PR nightmare for Gallaudet University. Firing her would've been the worse course of action. President Hurwitz and Gallaudet University's lawyers realized this. Glad this has been resolved before the start of school.

There may have been some "overall maturity" shown in the community but there were enough of them who were quite vicious and very immature rather than to agree to disagree on differing views with respect and aplomb.  We know who they are. Full of hate rather than full of introspection and respect of the situation. Witch hunts do not belong in the age of learning and enlightenment.

Classes will resume on January 22, 2013 with Dr. McCaskill back at work doing what she does best at her job. May the students and staff show their warm welcome for Dr. McCaskill's return.  Time to move past this awful saga and snafu.

See previous blogs on the McCaskill/Gallaudet University snafu.

Associated Press on Dr. Angela McCaskill

Here's another round of drama as reported in the Associated Press that'll soon reach a crescendo regarding the story of Dr. Angela McCaskill who is the Chief Diversity Officer at Gallaudet University. She is now in "hot water" with university officials for practicing her constitutional and civil rights on signing a referendum petition for Maryland's Civil Marriage Protection Act without fear of reprisals. Though no crime was committed and yet she was placed on administrative leave by president Hurwitz although not clear whether the leave was a paid administrative leave or not.

"I want to inform the community that I have placed Dr. Angela McCaskill on paid administrative leave effective immediately. It recently came to my attention that Dr. McCaskill has participated in a legislative initiative that some feel is inappropriate for an individual serving as Chief Diversity Officer; however, other individuals feel differently. I will use the extended time while she is on administrative leave to determine the appropriate next steps taking into consideration the duties of this position at the university. In the meantime an interim Chief Diversity Officer will be announced in the near future."

A group called "Marylanders for Marriage Equality" who is for the Maryland's Civil Marriage Protection Act had this to say about Dr. McCaskill's right to her own opinion regarding the referendum petition she signed.

Marylanders for Marriage Equality issued this statement by campaign manager Josh Levin.

"We strongly disagree with the decision to put the chief diversity officer on leave and hope she is reinstated immediately. Everyone is entitled to free speech and to their own opinion about Question 6, which is about treating everyone fairly and equally under the law."

Was this an attempt to squelch Dr. Angela McCaskill's freedom of speech through intimidation exercises? Some may say yes. Others say no. An another witch hunt attempt to get another deaf employee fired for having an opinion? Was Dr. Angela McCaskill's free speech infringed upon? Marylanders for Marriage Equality thinks so.

So far there are 7 responses in the Associated Press' comment section with one being the most vocal:

Dr. Hurwitz:
I just read on line of your placing Dr. Angela McCaskill on administrative leave because she signed a petition to place an anti gay-marriage referendum on the ballot in Maryland. Although I live in Louisiana and have no connection with your University or anyone involved in this incident, I was so shocked to hear that such action would be taken merely for the exercise of one's civil rights that I felt compelled to contact you. Surely we have not arrived at a point where employees of universities are expected to waive their civil rights in order to be employed in any position at the University. The fact that she was a diverse city officer should have absolutely no bearing on this issue. I hope that you will use this as an opportunity to reaffirm your University's commitment to freedom of speech and freedom of conscience. The mere act of placing her on administrative leave has a chilling effect, and should be corrected quickly. Should you and the University not correct this egregious infringement on Ms. McCaskills civil rights I certainly hope that she takes appropriate legal action. Please do the right thing in this matter.

The next question is that if she is let go by president Hurwitz for exercising her constitutional and civil rights to vote or even sign a petition to get a referendum on the ballot so voters can have an option will she sue Gallaudet University for damages for infringing on her rights? What will president Hurwitz do next? Only time will tell.

An update.

From U.S. News:

Gallaudet spokeswoman Catherine Murphy told Buzzfeed that the university did not have "a policy against political participation." When asked about the nature of the petition and if the university had any policy regarding such political participation, Murphy told NBC News in an email: “For the moment we are sticking with this (Hurwitz) statement. Please understand that in an administrative personnel matter we won't be saying anything more until we get complete clarity on what took place.”

McCaskill was the first deaf African American female to earn a Ph.D. from Gallaudet, where she has worked for 23 years in various roles, including becoming the deputy to the president and associate provost of diversity and inclusion in 2011, according to her biography on the university website. She did not respond to an email seeking comment and it was not possible to leave a phone message.

Fire an African American Gallaudet University employee for political participation at her church and exercising her freedom of expression, freedom of speech, constitutional and civil rights?

Good luck, president Hurwitz.

Update number 2.

This is simply an old fashioned witch hunt in the hope to have the person fired for expressing an alternative political opinion. This is strangely familiar since this happened to another deaf person for expressing a political opinion on a sensitive deaf-related issue did people try and get this person fired for having an opinion in her own personal blog.