What I Am Watching

The Evergreen Scandal

Last night I began the first part of the new documentary covering the events at Evergreen State College that led to the turmoil that peaked in the spring of 2017. It tells the story of the misapplied ideology of racial equity and misapplied definition of justice pushed by the administration that guided the school into the storm of controversy in 2017. Though the first part of the movie is less than thirty minutes long, I could not make it all the way to the end. I quickly became disgusted with how those in power at the school began to force this ‘justice’ into the fabric of the school, using all the tired excuses of white privilege, power structure, and inherent racism in what appears to have been the most free and liberal educational institution in America. Once I watched the part covering the infamous ‘Canoe Meeting’, I could take no more. Seeing what appear to be well meaning professors, likely fearful for their jobs, have to confess their guilt in some sort of Soviet-style show trial was all I could take. Anger and frustration overtakes me when I watch this, as I am dumbfounded that people actually believe this, and that only a few have the courage to stand up against it. But, that is the lesson of history which always repeats, and which is what I will certainly take away from this horrifying but captivating spectacle.