An adult in charge of a college in Texas

By Silvio Canto, Jr.

For some time, I've asked the question: where are the adults in college administration? Why are brats running our universities? Canceling speakers they disagree with? Graduating with meaningless degrees that won't translate into a decent career? A mess, to say the least.

Hello, West Texas A&M University president Walter Wendler. This is the story:

West Texas A&M University President Walter Wendler is drawing ire for canceling a student drag show, arguing that such performances degrade women and are "derisive, divisive and demoralizing misogyny."

Students and First Amendment lawyers reject those assertions, calling his comments a mischaracterization of the art form. They also argue that the cancellation violates students' constitutional rights and a state law that broadly protects free speech on college campuses, potentially setting the university up for a lawsuit.

"Not only is this a gross and abhorrent comparison of two completely different topics, but it is also an extremely distorted and incorrect definition of drag as a culture and form of performance art," students wrote in an online petition condemning Wendler's letter and urging him to reinstate the show.

Cheers for Mr. Wendler. I had no idea that anyone out there regarded a "drag show" as some kind of "performance art." It's one thing to have a good laugh about Mrs. Doubtfire, the story of a recently divorced father who dresses up as a female housekeeper to interact with his children. Funny, and no one is offended. Drag shows are different, especially when they perform in front of innocent children. By the way, the Texas Legislature is debating a $10,000 fine on business owners who host drag shows in front of children.

Mr. Wendler will get it from every direction: the race card, the homophobic card, the anti-LGBT card, etc. They may even tell us that he was part of the January 6 insurrection. In the end, he will win because he is right. It's a shame that we don't have more Wendlers out there.

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