I’m truly appalled by the law school’s decision to hire outspoken homophobe Dr. Li-ann Thio to teach, of all things, global human rights law. The decision is more negligent than intentionally offensive, given NYU’s otherwise stellar record on gay rights. Let’s remember – NYU Law is the school that took the U.S. Government to the Supreme Court rather than allow discriminatory military recruiters on campus, and to this day, per Dean Ricky Revesz, sends heartfelt apologies to the entire school whenever they visit. (We lost – hard.) Clearly, as Revesz concedes, Thio’s views are at odds with the culture of respect and decency that he has worked so hard to build during his highly successful tenure as dean.
Nor is this – as Thio tries to frame it – an “academic freedom” issue. There are principled, respectable arguments against both gay marriage and gay rights. Many such arguments have been raised on this site and, although I don’t credit them, I respect those who raise them. Thio’s objections, however, are neither principled nor well-reasoned, but rather stem from mere moral outrage (“misuse of organs”?!):
Listen to the full thing. She’s worse than Conservapedia.
Further, the angry defense Thio has mounted of her views is hardly a model of clarity. Absent some “universal norm” – which she herself calls “moral imperialism” – it’s hard to see how her case against gay rights holds together.
Because her views go to her quality as a scholar, rather than simply political correctness, she’s clearly not a good fit for NYU Law. That said, I wouldn’t expect the school to cancel her contract. I will, however, look forward to any number of symposia, where the school could allow her bigoted views to be torn apart by better minds. The entire faculty v. Thio — I’d pay to see that.
UPDATE: Thio, theoretically a law professor, doesn’t seem to know what “libel” means. At least she didn’t over the weekend, when she accused an NYU student of the same, simply for disagreeing with her.
Anyone who sends this post to Above the Law will be summarily executed. Seriously. – Ed.
Welcome “Crooks & Liars” readers! And thanks Mike for the link! – Ed.
