I have posted about the unconscionable persecution of Jean R. Cobbs at Virginia State University back in April, so forgive me for posting a current letter from the President of the Virginia Association of Scholars (a chapter of the National Association of Scholars which is the "conservative" alternative to AAUP) asking for donations to help Jean fight her case in court. No one is obligated to contribute, especially since the plea specifically targets VAS members, but if you can spare something and regard the cause as just, feel free. This is war, folks. Carey Stronach's letter follows:

Update: Because of a legal technicality, please do not write your check donations for the Jean Cobbs legal defense fund to the Virginia Association of Scholars. This is because we are a non-profit organization. Instead, please make them payable either to "Harris Butler, Esq." (Jean's lawyer), or to "Jean R. Cobbs".

These donations are really loans (short term if the state settles with Jean, longer term otherwise) and will be repaid. You will receive a receipt for any and all funds donated/loaned.

The good news is that we are within $1900 of having sufficient funds to start the case moving.

Cheers,
Carey Stronach
VAS President

Virginia Association of Scholars

c/o Carey E. Stronach, Ph.D.
2241 Buckner Street
Petersburg, VA 23805-2207

804-732-8993

cestronach@adelphia.net

September 9, 2005

Dear Fellow VAS Member:

As you are aware, one of the major thrusts of the VAS is the support of faculty rights, especially in cases where professors are mistreated because they are deemed "politically incorrect" and have committed indiscretions such as supporting a candidate for public office not to the liking of their peers or administrators, or of making patriotic pro-American statements in their classes, much to the chagrin of the hate-America neo-Marxist elements on their campuses.

We have such a case at Virginia State University. Dr. Jean Cobbs has been in the sights of the VSU administration ever since the current administration came to power twelve years ago. Jean is a black Republican sociology professor who was fired this past January. The VSU president, Mr. Eddie N. Moore, is a protegéof former governor Doug Wilder, whom Jean did NOT support. This is, as best we can tell, the primary basis for her persecution.

As you may know, the AAUP has censured VSU for its firing of Jean and one other faculty member. Apart from their cases, the stench of corruption on the campus is so thick that one figuratively chokes upon it. I could write a book about it (I already have written one chapter of a book and am planning an article for Academic Questions.)

The bottom line is that Jean needs a lawyer, and good lawyers are expensive. She has retained an attorney in Richmond, but he wants $20,000 to fight the case. Jean has raised $5,000 on her own, even though she's unemployed, I have personally donated $7,000, another VAS Board member has promised $2,000, and the VAS Board has provided $1,000 from its treasury.

We still need $5,000 to start the case in court, and the clock is ticking. Therefore I am, with the support of the VAS Executive Committee, requesting that the VAS membership contribute to this fund. Jean promises to pay back any and all contributions when she wins a settlement or judgment against the VSU administration.

Please be as generous as you possibly can, and send checks or money orders made out to the VAS to Wayne Boese, VAS Treasurer, 3616 Springsberry Place N., Richmond, VA 23233. Please mark them as being donations (loans, actually) to the Jean Cobbs Defense Fund. Your support will be most warmly and deeply appreciated.

Sincerely yours,

Carey E. Stronach, Ph.D.
VAS President

Posted by: Demosophist at 12:08 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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