Ron Carrier, JMU President

I dedicated part of my existence at JMU to publicly ridicule the University’s president, Ron Carrier. The reason for doing so came from a dislike of him rooted in the local politics of the school and a dislike of the direction in which he was taking JMU. This picture above was taken when I ran for the position of student government president at JMU. (One of my primary campaign promises included passing legislation to force JMU President Ron Carrier to wear a foam rubber lobster costume to all public events.) My next door neighbor invited Carrier (a known lush) to her party during my campaign, and–knowing I’d jump at the opportunity to do something disruptive–she told me he was coming. I got dressed for the occasion, burst in the house “riding” a broom like a horse, and proceeded to circle the school president while improvising Dada poetry.

All the frat dudes and sorority chicks just stared blankly while Carrier looked on, dumbfounded. I got him to take his picture with me and then used it on the front a a pamphlet I made for new JMU students, which was handed out on orientation day.

Because I registered my friends and I as an organization (Ministry of Reverend Eleven–M.O.R.E.), the university unwittingly provided funds to pay for the thousands of these unflattering pamphlets we handed out. The pamphlet mixes fact with fiction, trumpeting “M.O.R.E.’s past successes” such as the Antlered Pig prank, the previous year’s Student Government Association election prank, naked parties and an event called “Satan Awareness Week” (a lampoon of “Jesus Awareness Week”).

The pamphlet stated, “Enjoy Satan Awareness Week, which explores the lighter and more fun-loving side of the Prince of Darkness.” It went on to list some of the supposed activities:

Monday – We will reenact the fall from grace live on the school Commons.
Wednesday – We will hold a “Breakdancing for Satan” contest/fund raiser.
Friday – The festivities will conclude with a celebration that will feature a Satanic slip ‘n’ Slid water baptism.

Phil and I aggressively passed out the pamphlets the day of orientation, standing by our “information booth.” (Phil is pictured in the silver jumpsuit and I am in the Technicolor jacket.)

My final semester, I attended an awards banquet at which Carrier was presenting awards, and he introduced me as “the one who came here to be a pain in my butt.” I patted him on the stomach and replied, “every court needs its jester, your highness.”