I attended the University of Texas at Austin School of Law in the mid-1980s. At the time, most of my fellow classmates were Republicans, and they were lovely people, something that came as a big surprise to a Democrat who had just left UC Berkeley. Now, though, the University of Texas at Austin is one of the most “woke” campuses in America. The latest example, which could have occurred at any American college, UT’s Department of Psychology, where a hugely popular professor came close to saying all white men are psychopaths.

Kirsten E. Bradbury, an Associate Professor Instruction in UT’s Department of Psychology, has spent decades in academia, which, within the world of academia, must garner her respect.

Bradbury’s students like her…a lot. At Rate My Professors, student after student describes Bradbury’s class as easy and fun. They say her lectures are amazing and inspirational (although students don’t need to bother attending them), that she cares about her students, that her grading system is clear, and that she’s passionate about her subject. This is a teacher who leaves a strong impression on the young minds she’s shaping. Indeed, Bradbury is so popular at UT that, in 2017, she received a $25,000 cash prize from UT’s Board of Regents.

Image: The University of Texas at Austin by Kumar Appaiah. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Bradbury has also written a bit for Psychology Today, where she helped readers in 2020 to find “Peace, Love, and Understanding….” Speaking about the stressors of lockdowns and other COVID fears, she urges people to “move toward reconnection and reconciliation” through listening, doing good, self-care, and tenderness. In connection with that last point, Bradbury oozes compassion and good faith in others’ intentions:

Learn to be gentle, turn the volume down, check our tone. We could all be more forgiving, softer, less quick to judge—at home, at work, and with our neighbors.

[snip]

It can be hard to remember that most people really are doing their best. Walk a mile in their shoes before you decide they are worthy of your judgment, ire, or blame.

Bradbury applies her own advice to anyone who fits into one of the left’s victim classes. We know that because, in addition to all the legal disclaimers in the course description for her Personality Psychology Course, Bradbury adds,

In keeping with the department’s values, I am committed to creating a learning environment that is safe and supportive of the identities and perspectives of all marginalized or minoritized people. In addition, I will honor your request to address you by a name and gender pronoun you use (she/he/they/ze, etc).

What a kind, caring, compassionate, thoughtful, empathetic person Bradbury is…well, almost. The real Bradbury emerges in one of her quiz questions for the class.

Question 4

Antisocial Personality Disorder is a racist diagnosis in the way it has been applied. It is also a sexist diagnosis, although to a much lesser extent. Neither race nor gender is determinative in Antisocial Personal Disorder. However, if we must go there, which sociodemographic group is most likely to repeatedly violate the rights of others in a pattern of behavior that includes violence, deceit, irresponsibility, and a lack of remorse? (Hint: They also happen to hold the most social power and because of that can get away with the most wrongdoing.)

The answer, according to Bradbury (who is white), is “wealthy white men.”

Summed up, Bradbury instructed her students, who adore her teaching, that “Antisocial Personality Disorder” is a crock when applied to minorities or women. However, it’s right on the money when applied to white men, who are universally violent, deceitful, irresponsible, and remorseless. In other words, they are psychopaths.

When called out on her exam question, Bradbury didn’t back down. Instead, she sneaked out the back door, claiming that the entire quiz had “grown too stale to use.” In other words, she essentially said I’m not going to debate my racist, sexist insult; I’m just going to urge everyone to forget I ever said it.

We’ve grown used to this kind of garbage in academia. It’s noteworthy to me because it’s occurring at UT Austin, an institution I was once proud to have on my resumé. It should worry everyone, though, because Bradbury’s unapologetically racist and sexist attitudes are inculcated into students who absorb everything they learn from a teacher they like—and her students seem to like her a lot.