You can bet that if an atheist professor denigrated Christianity, Jesus' BFFs on Fox & Friends would be calling for their resignation. But when a conservative Christian Vanderbilt professor (who, btw, has dissed Islam) is the subject of campus criticism, it's a totally different story.
On this morning's patented Fox & Friends "Trouble with Schools" segment, Steve Doocy reported that in this climate of campus protest, "neither administrators nor professors seem safe." As he spoke the banner framed the Fox message of persecution: "Vandy Professor Targeted, Students Want Conservative Prof Suspended." He described that "targeted" professor, Carol Swain as "a conservative" who "is fighting back against an on-line petition demanding that she be suspended for allegedly discriminatory practices in the classroom."
Swain is no stranger to Fox & Friends. In 2011, she was brought in to speak against Vanderbilt's non-discrimination policy which she, and all other Fox guests opining on the topic, felt was unfair to Christians. Rather than ask Swain to explain the situation, Doocy asked the loaded, agitprop question, "why are they out to get you?" On cue, Swain played the persecuted Christian card: "They're out to get me because I'm a conservative Christian." She asserted that no student has ever accused her of discrimination. She claimed that those behind the petition "don't know" her and that the petition is "full of lies."
Doocy noted that the student behind the petition has realized "what he is doing to your life" and has changed the petition to demand Swain's suspension rather than firing. Swain said that the student has apologized but the apology is too late because of how, he is trying to undermine her. While Doocy didn't bother to read the school's response, which addresses both safety and free speech on campus, the banner TELLS A BIG FAT FOX LIE: "Sending a Clear Signal, Vandy Response Tells Swain She Doesn't Belong." Her statement, that she is nervous about students going to her class in order "to build a case" against her is ironic, given that Fox & Friends is fine with conservative students doing that to liberal teachers.
To Doocy's question about what is happening on campuses, Swain blame Obama. True story. She claimed that since Obama became president, schools are now teaching Saul Alinsky who - irony alert - advocated "polarizing" a "target." The banner went full tilt agitprop: "Targeting Conservatives, Swain Sees Values Being Moved Out of Academia." She used herself as an example of how "democratic leaders have been destructive for our nation."
Doocy scrunched up is face when he said that "you'd think that college campus would be one place in America where you could here all opinions, but maybe not the case anymore." (And certainly not the case on Fox & Friends)
Doocy avoided any mention of Swain's article, for a Tennessee newspaper, in which she opined that "Islam is not like other religions in the United States, that it poses an absolute danger to us and our children unless it is monitored better than it has been under the Obama administration" - a point of view which was offensive to Vandy's Muslim students.
But hey, why present "all opinions" when you have just one message - Christians are being persecuted - to pimp. Funny, Fox & Friends had no problem with a liberal professor, who was defamed on Fox & Friends, got death threats. Praise Jesus and Roger Ailes?
Update - Swain's case is being promoted by none other than the Christian hate group, Family Research Council.