UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT CHAIR: We Should Hate Republicans.

A University of Michigan department chairwoman has published an article titled, “It’s Okay To Hate Republicans,” which will probably make all of her conservative students feel really comfortable and totally certain that they’re being graded fairly.

“I hate Republicans,” communications department chairwoman and professor Susan J. Douglas boldly declares in the opening of the piece. “I can’t stand the thought of having to spend the next two years watching Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Ted Cruz, Darrell Issa or any of the legions of other blowhards denying climate change, thwarting immigration reform or championing fetal ‘personhood.’”

She writes that although the fact that her “tendency is to blame the Republicans . . . may seem biased,” historical and psychological research back her up, and so it’s basically actually a fact that Republicans are bad! . . .

Republicans now, she writes, are focused on the “determined vilification” of others, and have “crafted a political identity that rests on a complete repudiation of the idea that the opposing party and its followers have any legitimacy at all.”

(Apparently, the irony of this accusation given the content of her own article was lost on her.)

You know, if I were a Republican — or even Republican-curious — student at the University of Michigan, I’d feel unwelcome there. If I were a Republican governor or legislator in Michigan, and I think they have some of those, I’d be finding ways to encourage Michigan to be more inclusive and diverse. Especially given that — perhaps because of incitement caused by faculty views such as those above — the University of Michigan has already seen mob violence against conservatives. Perhaps Michigan lawmakers need to add political discrimination to their state’s civil rights code — at least as relates to institutions of education — especially in light of Cass Sunstein’s recent argument that political hatred is a serious problem in our society.

UPDATE: Some thoughts from Spengler.