By Selwyn Duke

A little while back, I wrote a piece about Keith John Sampson, a student at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) who was charged with "racial harassment" merely for reading an anti-Ku Klux Klan book (for background, read my piece here and my follow-up here).  This story had left my radar screen, and I was content to let the hapless Mr. Sampson and the hopeless IUPUI settle matters out of the light of day.  But now the university has struck again, smearing Sampson with baseless accusations in a Wall Street Journal piece.

The university is now claiming that, by gum, it wasn’t reading the book that brought the full weight of their institution down upon Sampson but "other charges."  Of course, IUPUI won’t specify what these were, and they were never mentioned at any time when the university’s thought police were doing their utmost to lynch the student.  At a blog called "The IUSB Vision Weblog," Chuck Norton covered this in depth, writing: 

The Wall Street Journal wasn’t buying it – than [sic] again, neither is anyone with functional critical thinking skills:

There was, of course, no other offensive behavior; had
there been any it would surely have appeared in the first letter’s
gusher of accusation. Like those prosecutors who invent new charges
when the first ones fail in court, the administrators threw in the
mysterious harassment count. Such were the operations of the
university’s guardians of equity and justice.

Needless to say FIRE [Foundation for Individual Rights in Education] was not amused: 

INDIANAPOLIS, July 8, 2008-Two months ago, in the face
of withering public criticism, Indiana University – Purdue University
Indianapolis (IUPUI) revoked its original finding that student-employee
Keith John Sampson had committed racial harassment by reading a book at
work that celebrated the defeat of the Ku Klux Klan in a 1924 street
brawl. Now, IUPUI is claiming that Sampson was in fact punished for
some other behavior, but the school refuses to reveal any details of
this alleged conduct. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education
(FIRE) is calling on IUPUI to either reveal and prove this alleged
offense or stop publicly smearing its own student.

‘This looks like a classic example of a college making things worse
in an unprincipled attempt to save face,’ FIRE Vice President Robert
Shibley said. ‘IUPUI’s own letters to Sampson made clear that his
reading a book about the Ku Klux Klan was the problem, and the
university claims to have completely exonerated him of all charges. If
so, why are its spokespeople now telling The Wall Street Journal that
the problem was really some other mysterious conduct that the
university will not reveal to anyone, including Sampson himself?’

Mr. Norton also includes a letter that Rich Schneider, IUPUI’s media relations director, sent to him.  Speaking of the phantom charges, Schneider said, "We have not elaborated on the conduct, as perceived by his co-workers, nor do we intend to do so."  Very nice.

Allow me to explain this, and I’ll be blunt.

Rich Schneider is a liar.

The truth is that, as an editor of mine who used to work in the Ivy League once said, "most academics are wretched people."   Generally speaking, leftists are ruled by emotion and vice and thus don’t exhibit much virtue.  Contrition?  Never!   Apologize?  Not on your life!  As the Quint character said in "Jaws," ". . . you wealthy college boys don’t have the education enough to admit when you’re wrong."

Of course, it occurs to me that the university wants to shield itself from liability as well.  Nevertheless, that 100-proof leftist ego is also apparent, and pride does goeth before the fall.  This story would have gone away if the university had simply apologized and tried to make amends.  (Mr. Sampson doesn’t strike me as the kind of man who enjoys making a federal case out of matters.)  Instead, IUPUI has dug in its heels and now is getting far more than its 15 minutes of infamy.

Unfortunately, far too many academics and university administrators are dishonorable people, individuals who only respond to force.  Thus, I have three words for Mr. Sampson: Sue, sue, sue.  I’m no fan of modern America’s litigiousness, but since running these pseudo-elites out of town with pitchforks isn’t an option, a lawsuit is often good people’s only recourse.

I very much hope this "Sampson" can be a David who slays a Goliath.

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