What if the University of Minnesota was less politically correct?

Perhaps you’ve seen the University of Minnesota’s memorable TV commercials that are part of their “Driven to Discover” campaign.  Two of the ads feature faculty describing their noble research efforts to “abolish hunger” and “end drug addiction.”  But another ad oozes a much more politically correct flavor as a research assistant proclaims “I am driven to train activists to develop new policies for social change.”

Center founder and proud U of M grad Mitch Pearlstein penned a terrific piece that proposes “ten more diverse goals” that scholars could take up to both fuel the University’s drive forward and please ideologically put-off alumni and taxpayers.  I submit that the day we see one of these sensible goals included in a University ad campaign is the day we will know it has taken a step toward balance, and a step away from unbridled political correctness.  Imagine and enjoy these 10 pearls:

  1. “I am driven to enable more low-income families to send their children to schools that might work best for them, including private ones.”
  2. “I am driven to prevent teacher unions from stunting educational freedom for inner-city families.”
  3. “I am driven to radically increase the number of children growing up with both their parents.”
  4. “I am driven to reduce mission creep in Washington.”
  5. “I am driven to constrain taxes at all levels of government.”
  6. “I am driven to reduce rules and regulations at all levels of government.”
  7. “I am driven to stop colleges and universities from disinviting conservative speakers.”
  8. “I am driven to stop supposedly grown-up college students from moaning about ‘micro-aggressions’ and demanding ‘trigger warnings’ and ‘safe places’ on campuses.”
  9. “I am driven to discover why professors and other college leaders talk all the time about ‘justice’ as progressives do but rarely about ‘freedom’ as conservatives do.”
  10. “And I am driven to assure that more Americans recognize how fair and self-sacrificing the overwhelming majority of police officers are, and the degree to which we endanger ourselves unless we respect and appreciate them appropriately.”

Peter Zeller is Director of Operations at Center of the American Experiment.