Tipsheet

ACLU Official Trashes University For Accepting Nick Sandmann

Ellie Bufkin
Ellie Bufkin  |  September 09, 2020 1:25 PM

An official for the ironically named American Civil Liberties Union took his personal angst against Transylvania University to social media this week; his gripe? That the college had accepted Nick Sandmann as a student despite the fact that the 18-year-old is Christian and pro-life. 

Sandmann made national headlines in early 2019 when a video of him from the March for Life in Washington, D.C. seemed to show the then-high schooler in a face-off with a native American activist. Before Sandmann was able to tell his side of the story and before the full video was released, corporate media outlets like the Washington Post, the New York Times, and CNN blasted out the image of the teen in a red MAGA hat casting him as a smug aggressor. 

That wasn't the case at all, as it turned out, and several "news" outlets including the Washington Post and CNN were sued for libel. The latter two have settled with Sandmann for undisclosed amounts, estimated to be close to $500 million. Sandmann spoke of his experience and "cancelation" at the Republican National Convention last month where he praised the president strongly for his actions in defense of the unborn. 

Samuel Crankshaw, a communications associate of the ACLU in Kentucky, said that the university's acceptance of Sandmann was a "bit of a stain" on the school's legacy in a Facebook post.  

Does anyone else think it’s a bit of a stain on Transylvania University for accepting Nick Sandman? I’m sure it’s a “both sides” defense, but it’s pretty counter to their mission and another instance of there not actually being equal sides to an issue. I think TU should accept anyone willing to have an open mind and engage in debate, regardless of their views. That’s how we all learn. That’s Transy’s mission.

But this kid clearly is a provocateur in training with no intention of learning. He exists only to troll, intimidate and play victim. He and his attorney proudly use their national platforms to promote QAnon, which has *literally* been the direct cause of multiple instances of violence (not to mention all of the other batshit stuff). He is proudly defending Kyle Rittenhouse, who murdered two people for exercising political speech. Ironically, this silenced victim is running with Don Jr., spoke at the GOP convention, has a bill in his honor at the General Assembly, has attended private schools, has a national law firm representing him, etc. So silenced. He’s no different from the likes of Milo Yiannopoulos, but he is more dangerous.

Having experienced the incredibly high standards Transy requires for admission and then holds its students to, this seems like a slap in the face. I hope some time in a real classroom changes him, but his twitter and public persona suggest otherwise.

Crankshaw clearly disagrees with every conservative value that Sandmann proudly stands for and even more blatantly, he asserts that the incoming freshman has "no intention of learning." Meaning: Sandmann has no intention of abandoning his values and purifying himself in the leftist doctrine that Crankshaw finds appropriate. Fortunately, based on everything we've seen from Sandmann in his young life so far, Crankshaw is probably right. 

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At one time, the ACLU was considered the go-to source of protection from speech suppression and infringement on civil rights. In recent years, however, the group has bent over backward for radically left causes and has left conservatives out in the cold. 

Sandmann responded to Crankshaw on Twitter by saying that his assertion is evidentiary of what has gone wrong for conservatives on college campuses in recent years. 

He further asked that people not respond by attacking his college.