EDITORIAL: COLLEGE CONVOCATION CONDEMNATION OF CONSERVATIVES HAS CONSEQUENCES

COLLEGE CONVOCATION CONDEMNATION OF CONSERVATIVES HAS CONSEQUENCES

The College of Southern Maryland is under scrutiny for what unfolded at its August 15, 2025, convocation, where partisan rhetoric, suppression of public records, and threats against the press converged. Weeks later, the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah, and the exposure of Maryland teachers, local officials, and even emergency dispatchers rationalizing or celebrating his death, have crystallized one undeniable truth: our institutions are being twisted into hate factories, and the people responsible must be held accountable.

For years, the College of Southern Maryland held convocations that were fully recorded and posted online. Not this year. Staff confirmed that audio-visual crews spent hours setting up. The morning session, which included President Yolanda Wilson’s welcome, a keynote on generative artificial intelligence, and a panel discussion, was recorded and later released. However, the afternoon session disappeared from public view. During that second half, College of Southern Maryland General Counsel Kendall Duane Isacc launched into what attendees described as a hate-filled tirade. President Wilson sat through it, applauding. Conservative staff members were so offended that they left, saying they would not sit silently while a taxpayer-funded institution was turned into a political stage.

The College of Southern Maryland allowed its “general counsel” to pretend to be a practicing attorney, using the convocation stage to spread hate-filled propaganda under the pretense of legal expertise

On August 18, 2025, a Maryland Public Information Act request was filed requesting all convocation materials. That same morning, Isaac was finally admitted to the Maryland bar, nearly five months after being hired as the college’s top lawyer and just three days after his convocation speech. In that speech, where he was not licensed, he provided legal advice, offered updates on case law, and made direct verbal attacks on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Donald Trump. He mocked and criticized both while acting as a legal authority, despite not having a license to practice law in Maryland at the time. This was not only a bold ethical violation but also an institutional failure. The College of Southern Maryland allowed its “general counsel” to pretend to be a practicing attorney, using the convocation stage to spread hate-filled propaganda under the pretense of legal expertise.

When the backlash occurred, Isaac sent an email to his colleagues at CSM. “I want to sincerely apologize that my presentation at Convocation made valued members of our community feel excluded,” he wrote. He admitted it was “incumbent upon employees, especially leaders, to be nonpartisan in their roles at CSM.” He acknowledged that he had made “editorial comments that did not reflect CSM’s nonpartisan position.” In closing, Isaac tried to reassure staff: “Just as it is our goal as an educational institution to help our students think critically and engage in civil discourse, I too am here to listen, to learn, and to grow.”

President Yolanda Wilson sent her own email to the community, acknowledging that “remarks delivered by our General Counsel fell short of the balance and neutrality expected at CSM.” She stated the college was dedicated to “ensuring that our community remains respectful and inclusive” and reiterated, “belonging is not just something we say; it is something we aspire to daily in our actions, conversations, and mission.”

But the issue isn’t tone or phrasing; it’s truth and accountability. Apologies wrapped in institutional language about “inclusion” and “community” aren’t enough when taxpayer-funded leaders use official platforms to spread bias and falsely claim authority as licensed legal experts.

Two days after his convocation speech, August 17^th, 2025, Isaac personally emailed at 2:19 am, “Please be advised that there is no video recording of the event. Therefore, there is nothing to disclose in this regard,” referring to the entire convocation address. However, on August 29, 2025, the college contradicted him, admitting that the morning was recorded while insisting the afternoon was not. By September 4, 2025, the college released the morning’s slides, books, and videos. These contradictions have fueled suspicions that the most controversial content of Isaac’s tirade, which Wilson praises, is being intentionally suppressed.

The fact that the college is hiding behind carefully worded letters and denials only confirms what we already suspect

There is no doubt that the video from the second half existed at some point. Staff confirmed the audiovisual team spent hours setting up for an entire day, not just half a day. Employees who were present are aware of what was said. The fact that the college is hiding behind carefully worded letters and denials only confirms what we already suspect: the video is being suppressed because it shows exactly what critics have claimed all along—that the leadership of the College of Southern Maryland used a taxpayer-funded event to promote hate-filled rhetoric against conservatives, Christians, and Republicans.

…that the leadership of the College of Southern Maryland used a taxpayer-funded event to promote hate-filled rhetoric against conservatives, Christians, and Republicans.

 If that is not the case, then release the video. Prove it. Transparency solves this problem in one step. However, instead, the college stonewalls, hoping the controversy will fade. It will not. A lawsuit under the Maryland Public Information Act may now be the only recourse. Subpoenas, depositions of all employees present, and testimony from the audio-visual staff who set up the equipment may all be required to bring the truth to light.

Rather than face accountability, the College of Southern Maryland tried to intimidate. On August 21, 2025, Joe Dugan, Esq, with the outside law firm Gallagher Evelius and Jones, sent a defamation-threat letter to journalist John O’Connor, demanding the deletion of a cartoon critical of Isaac from The Chesapeake Today. The letter falsely accused O’Connor of ownership and authorship of the cartoon. O’Connor responded by calling it a “half-cocked attempt at intimidation, devoid of factual accuracy, legal merit, or professional judgment.” He cited New York Times v. Sullivan accusing the college and its counsel of using taxpayer dollars to chill press freedom and intimidate him as a journalist, a conservative, a Christian, and a Republican candidate for St. Mary’s County Commissioner. This is how far they will go to suppress dissent, threatening a candidate with baseless litigation to silence criticism.

DONALD N. PITTMAN,
Plaintiff,
BOARD OF REGENTS OF TIIE )
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF
GEORGIA, PAUL JONES,
Individually, DEMSE EADY,
Individually, and KENDALL ISAAC,)
Individually,
Defendants.

Isaac’s own history only worsened the situation. His record included testifying in a National Collegiate Athletic Association case, where it was claimed under oath that it was acceptable to misrepresent facts about employees. This testimony was later rejected and overturned by the NCAA. In Ohio, he was dismissed as alleged ineffective counsel in a major institutional case. At the College of Southern Maryland, he was hired months before he was even licensed to practice law in the state of Maryland. Now, after the convocation tirade and the fallout, he is no longer with the college. But termination alone does not equal accountability. The damage was done, trust was broken, and the leadership that permitted it to happen remains in place.

Kathy Allen, who serves both as a local school board member and sits on the Board of the College of Southern Maryland, has remained notably silent. At a time when the community expects representatives of the school system to take a stand against hate-filled rhetoric, the silence is deafening.

We expect a representative from our schools to condemn what happened at the convocation and to demand accountability from the college’s leadership. Instead, the CSM board claims it is a “personnel issue.” That excuse is not enough. Silence in this case is complicity. Parents, students, and taxpayers deserve more than just silence; they deserve leadership that speaks clearly and calls for the removal of not only the president but anyone else who condones this behavior or whose conduct and applause contributed to this debacle. The entire College of Southern Maryland Board is hiding behind the same excuse, shielding itself from responsibility. Their refusal to speak out or take action is just as dangerous as the rhetoric itself, because silence from those in charge amounts to consent.

Sonja M. Cox, the president of the Board of Trustees of the College of Southern Maryland and also president of SMECO, has taken no definitive action whatsoever. As the board’s leader, Cox bears ultimate responsibility for ensuring accountability; yet, she has remained silent while the institution she oversees continues to slide deeper into scandal. Her silence is not neutrality; it is an endorsement by omission. By failing to act decisively, she shields President Wilson and her leadership team from consequences. She sends a dangerous signal that the board is willing to tolerate hate-laced rhetoric, suppression of records, and intimidation of the press. Cox’s dual role as both a regional utility leader and head of CSM’s board makes her accountability even more urgent. Parents, students, taxpayers, and SMECO’s ratepayers deserve far better than a leader who looks the other way in the face of corruption and misconduct.

Both Allen and Cox were sent requests for comment; however, they did not respond by the time of publication. Should they respond to the email request, the story will be updated.

On September 10, 2025, less than a month after the convocation, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot by a sniper while speaking at Utah Valley University. Authorities say the killing was targeted. The attack sent shockwaves across the country, highlighting how divisive rhetoric and demonization of political opponents can lead to real-world violence. The environment that allowed Kirk’s assassin to act is the same one fostered when public officials like Isaac use taxpayer-funded platforms to spread hate, and when presidents like Yolanda Wilson sit by and applaud. Hate in the classroom, convocation hall, or faculty lounge is not harmless; it fuels division that can result in bloodshed.

If hate was evident at the college level during the convocation, K-12 classrooms were not far behind. After Kirk’s killing, Maryland teachers took to social media to celebrate his death. At Forest Park High School in Baltimore City, a social studies teacher shared an article about Kirk’s death with the caption, “Wrong guy, but we’ll take what we can get.” At Rising Sun Elementary in Cecil County, a teacher wrote, “Guess that’s karma? Good riddance,” over Kirk’s picture. In Wicomico County, a teacher posted a meme implying the assassination was staged as a distraction: “The Epstein thing won’t die, gonna need you to take one for the team.” Parents and communities demanded resignations. School systems confirmed investigations. As rhetoric professor Richard Vatz explained, free speech may protect citizens from jail, but it does not shield public employees from losing their jobs over irresponsible, hateful speech.

And now the contagion has further spread in St. Mary’s County. Local activist Mike Bellis, who is employed by the Historic St. Mary’s City Commission, posted a Facebook statement in the aftermath of Kirk’s murder. While claiming not to endorse violence, Bellis rationalized it as inevitable, writing: “We also cannot ignore that years of spreading hatred, fueling division, and making a career out of dehumanizing others will eventually have consequences. Charlie Kirk built his platform on tearing others down. What we are seeing now is not something to cheer for, but it is the inevitable result of that choice.” The backlash was immediate. Community members accused Bellis of excusing assassination. Political candidates across the county have joined in calling for his removal, with demands that his seat on boards be removed and he be separated from Historic St. Mary’s City.

But there is more. Bellis was also appointed by the St. Mary’s County Commissioners to the local Housing Authority, giving him additional influence in public affairs. Commissioner Mike Hewitt led that charge. That appointment now hangs like an anchor around the commissioners’ necks. They cannot ignore it. If the commissioners do not take decisive, immediate action to remove Bellis, due to his hate-laced speech, they are not just standing idle; they are condoning his conduct. Their silence will be seen as complicity in excusing rhetoric that rationalizes political assassination.

A biography on Bellis from the Historic St Mary’s City page reads as follows:

“Mike Bellis is the Executive Director of the Charles Regional Medical Center Foundation – he joined the organization in August of 2022. In this role, he leads the fundraising, grant acquisition, and volunteer services of a 99-bed community hospital serving the Charles County, Maryland community.

Prior to joining Charles Regional, Bellis held a variety of leadership roles at local organizations, including Assistant Director of Alumni & Annual Giving at the College of Southern Maryland and Executive Director of United Way of Charles County. During his tenure at United Way, Mike launched a first-of-its-kind program, Community Connections, which popped-up resource days in underserved neighborhoods throughout Charles County. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, this program served over 3,000 families in need. Mike also successfully secured $1.5 million in rental assistance grants to aid families impacted by COVID-related job loss. Prior to his departure, Mike orchestrated the merger of three separate organizations to form United Way of Southern Maryland.

Mike currently serves as Chair for the Housing Authority of St. Mary’s County and 2nd Vice-Chair for the St. Mary’s County Democratic Central Committee.”

Interestingly, there is a connection to the College of Southern Maryland, which suggests that this issue is more extensive than just one convocation, one letter, or one board meeting.

Hate-filled, false political propaganda in St. Mary’s County has already led to certain public safety personnel being kept away from patient contact, out of fear that their services may be compromised due to lies and political beliefs taking precedence over patient care, making them a liability to the system. This illustrates how corrosive and dangerous the culture of propaganda has become. The radical left is everywhere, and hate is widespread. 

Consider Nashville, Tennessee. Haley Kreidel is a 911 emergency dispatcher for Metro Nashville’s Department of Communications. She is responsible for answering life-and-death calls and dispatching first responders for Davidson County. Yet after Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Kreidel posted a cartoon drawing with a bullet hole in Kirk’s neck along with the words: “Debate This.” She followed that with a news headline announcing Kirk’s death overlaid with the song: “No One Mourns the Wicked.” Think about what that means: someone entrusted to protect the public celebrated the killing of a conservative leader with a cartoon of his bloody corpse and a soundtrack mocking his death. That is not free speech; it is a culture of hate poisoning even the institutions designed to save lives.

This is what happens when propaganda replaces truth and political opponents are dehumanized. Charlie Kirk’s assassination was political. While it was carried out with a gun this time, the left has used its words to politically assassinate opponents for years. When words failed and the tide started to turn, radicals resorted to violence.

Many local leaders in St. Mary’s County have remained silent, even as the facts continue to accumulate. Their silence is equally dangerous. When will they stand up and put an end to this rhetoric? When will they demand that taxpayer-funded institutions no longer serve as platforms for hatred and intimidation? When will they simply defund these organizations that promote this conduct?

These incidents reveal a disturbing pattern: taxpayer-funded schools, colleges, local commissions, and emergency services members drifting from their core missions and becoming platforms where hate is allowed to flourish and affects everyone. When teachers celebrate political assassinations, when college officials launch tirades against conservative or any other group’s views, when Presidents of universities sit applauding, when local board members justify murder, when dispatchers mock the deceased, when school board members remain silent, and when community leaders hide in the shadows, it is not education or civic leadership; it is indoctrination. This fosters division and violence. Isaac is no longer with the college, but CSM President Jolanda Wilson and her leadership team remain in their positions. The entire Board of the College of Southern Maryland must be held accountable for its silence and inaction. And suppose Mike Bellis cannot tell the difference between condemning violence and justifying it as deserved. In that case, his continued presence on a public board or position is indefensible.

The assassination of Charlie Kirk serves as a tragic reminder of where unchecked hatred can lead. Our schools and institutions should be places of unity and learning. Instead, from elementary classrooms to college convocations and emergency dispatch centers, they are too often being hijacked as hate factories. The solution is accountability.

Delegate Matt Morgan provided the following statement:

 “During my time in Annapolis, I have seen that the Democrats’ soft crime policies have made our citizens significantly less safe. The tragic murder of a young girl riding the metro in Charlotte illustrates the consequences of these social justice policies. The same ideology that allows a criminal to be released from jail 14 times only to commit murder also supports the notion that the assassination of public figures, like Charlie Kirk, is justified if their speech might hurt people’s feelings. Nothing can justify taking a life, and those who hold such opinions are evil.”

Delegate Matt Morgan, an outspoken critic of divisive speech, policies, and practices, has weighed in on this matter and is not afraid to speak up. He is known and respected for his positions on issues affecting St Mary’s County.

For the College of Southern Maryland, accountability begins here with the release of the full convocation video; no more denials, no more excuses. If they won’t do it voluntarily, then let subpoenas be issued, depositions of employees and audiovisual staff be taken, and the Maryland Public Information Act lawsuit proceed. Educators, attorneys, board members, and college presidents who weaponize their public platforms to spread hate or who remain silent in the face of it must face consequences before more words of division turn into acts of violence.

But accountability cannot end with Kendall Duane Isaac. President Yolanda Wilson praised his rhetoric, then hid behind platitudes about inclusion and belonging. That silence and complicity make her unfit to lead. Her resignation must be demanded if the College of Southern Maryland is ever to regain the trust of all of its stakeholders. This scandal is not about one speech or one official. It is about an institutional culture that tolerates lies, protects hate, and fuels division that leads to political assassinations. That must end.

The lesson here is simple: disagreement is not inherently dangerous, but dehumanization is. Free speech should never involve silencing others through intimidation, censorship, or violence. A speech at a taxpayer-funded college shouldn’t make staff feel scared or ashamed of their beliefs, nor should such a speech be approved and condoned by leadership.

Students, faculty, and community members deserve to know they can think, speak, and disagree without fear of punishment. It’s time to reject lies, rhetoric, and hate. We can debate ideas without resorting to violence. We can disagree without intimidation. And we must demand leaders, representatives, and appointees who respect all voices, not just those with whom they agree. Most of all, we just need to learn again as a society that we can disagree with someone without hatred consuming us.