People you really shouldn't trust, ever (pt. 2 of a series)

[the_archfiend]

I'm sure that when the clowns in the Michigan House of Representatives who passed this piece of excrement start getting hot and bothered about people criticizing them for it, they'll whine about how oh-so-misunderstood their intent was. Not really: the tone of the legislation speaks for itself:

Tucked in the House education budget at the request of the Michigan Restaurant Association is a provision prohibiting universities from collaborating with "a non-profit worker center whose documented activities include coercion through protest, demonstration or organization against a Michigan business."

University professors nationwide are decrying the provision as an infringement of academic freedom, while Republican legislators say universities shouldn't be promoting free speech protests against businesses that pay taxes that support university operations.

"As we see it, students can receive internship credit for basically shaking down Michigan businesses," said Rep. Bob Genetski, R-Saugatuck, chair of the panel.

State Rep. Joe Haveman added the provision at the behest of a restaurant industry lobbyist, but acknowledged in a recent committee meeting he doesn't know what the rule concerns.

A Detroit News inquiry into the origins of the proposed law found it stems from protests staged in 2009 and 2010 during Friday night dinner hours at Andiamo's Dearborn location on Michigan Avenue.

So in other words, kiddies, do not bother to enroll in any classes in college in Michigan that might displease certain state legislators. Still, no other state has recently tried to restrict academic free speech like this, right? Oh, wait. They have.