TO THE EDITOR:
I feel that the UNC community of students, professors and alumni should be insulted that Gov. Pat McCrory delivered the keynote speech at this year’s University Day.
Early last year, he denigrated a liberal arts education at our state’s public universities, suggesting that it’s “not going to get someone a job,” namely referring to subjects such as gender studies and foreign languages. “If you want to take gender studies that’s fine. Go to a private school and take it,” McCrory said. “But I don’t want to subsidize that if that’s not going to get someone a job.” There are countless jobs available to those who develop the many skills these majors can provide, such as writing, critical thinking and language skills.
McCrory was quoted again in a story run by this very paper when he said, “We’ve frankly got enough psychologists and sociologists and political science majors and journalists. With all due respect to journalism, we’ve got enough.” I was a journalism major, and if it takes people like us to hold McCrory accountable for the ridiculous things he says, I’d say we’re doing just fine.
This is our governor, a man who regularly spits in the face of anyone who is interested in a liberal arts education. As he continues to slash education across the state and insult with impunity the very things UNC stands for, we should be collectively outraged that this man delivered the keynote address, a decision that the events planning staff should question.
Christopher Rogers
Chapel Hill
