Campus Reform: Texas A&M University

Editor's Note: The author of this article is a current student at Texas A&M.

On April 7th, the Texas A&M University Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered (GLBT) Resource Center hosted leftist actvist Zoe Nicholson for a seminar on “A Lifetime of Activism”. Zoe Nicholson is a radical activist and describes herself as "openly Buddhist, openly bi, openly progressive, openly feminist; let's face it, I am open. I am interested in progress."  Nicholson was arrested for chaining herself to the White House fence in order to force the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT).

At the event hosted on the campus of Texas A&M, Zicholson encouraged students to take action to solve the problems right in front of them. They must advance the movement!   

Nicholson's talked about much more than GLBT activism.  She encouraged a leftist stance on a wide range of issues - just as the GLBT is an all around leftist organization.  Nicholson praised gay activist Harvey Milk for his work in the labor movement.  She also mentioned the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the fight for “marriage equality."  In true Marxist fashion, Nicholson also denounced the free market:

“No more unpaid labor, no more child slavery…no more suffering from land to hand. If you buy a blouse at Old Navy for $11, somewhere between land and hand…somebody paid a lot for that shirt. From the farmer, to that store, somebody lost for it to get there for $11.”

Nicholson didn't stop at bashing the free market, she then encouraged students to fight for illegal immigration:

“Dreamers sitting out in Atlanta, Georgia for civil rights. If you think this doesn’t have to do with immigration, then you’re not paying attention. If you want to do something really thrilling, invite everybody in that’s oppressed. See how big we can get this tent. The only people who get that right now are labor. It’s really frustrating...”

Students laughed as she retold the story of a girl outside of a church with sign that read “I’m still a lesbian, maybe you people aren’t praying hard enough”.

In her closing remarks, she called the students to action:

“This is your movement. We need to expand this tent. We need to get everybody in this tent that’s oppressed and longing for the light. We have to end this oppression-oppressor paradigm. It’s got to go. It’s not helping anybody.”

Nicholson encouraged students to remember that activists do “holy stuff for us” and that students must overcome their fears about activism.  

The GLBT Resource Center spent $1,890.17 of mandatory student fee money on this program.  GLBT Resource Center Director Lowell Kane (who's $37,822 salary is paid for by state appropriations) planned the event, and in emails obtained through a Public Information Request, he said that Nicholson is "too wonderful :-)" and that he was "SO EXCITED!!!" about the lecture.  Dr. Anne Reber, Dean of Student Life, approved the event.  In one of the emails obtained through the Public Information Request, Dr. Reber said that "Ms. Nicholson appears to be a good choice for your speaker. She sounds fascinating!"

Camdem Breeding, the president of the GLBT Aggies (affiliated student organization of Texas A&M University), said that Zoe Nicholson was super awesome and that it was going to be a really good meeting.

Taypayer dollars and student fees should not be spent promoting such a leftist agenda.  The funding bias and institutional bias of Texas A&M must end.