24 Facts About Richard Vatz

Richard Eugene Vatz was born on December 21,1946 and is an American academic, lecturer and writer who is a professor of Rhetoric and Communication at Towson University.

Richard Vatz has been member of the Towson Board of Trustees for several years and an associate psychology editor for USA Today magazine since 1987.

Richard Vatz has been a member of the National Communication Association since 1969.

Richard Vatz has published articles, reviews and lectures on the preeminence of rhetorical study, political rhetoric, rhetoric and psychiatry and media criticism.

Richard Vatz has spoken at Hillsdale College and the University of Richmond.

Richard Vatz is married to Joanne Pychock Vatz; the couple have two children and one grandchild.

Richard Vatz maintains that the latter view makes rhetorical study simply a copy and mouthpiece of other social sciences, fields that are anti-rhetorical.

In January 2009, Richard Vatz published a follow-up piece to the "Myth" article in the NCA's January, 2009, Review of Communication.

In 2012, Richard Vatz published The Only Authentic Book of Persuasion: the Agenda-Spin Model and a new co-edited book Thomas Szasz: The Man and His Ideas and others.

Richard Vatz has published articles on political rhetoric and media criticism in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Washington Times and The Los Angeles Times.

Richard Vatz has presented hundreds of convention papers and panels at the National Communication Association and Eastern Communication Association, the SSCA, and elsewhere, including regular analyses of political rhetoric in seminars at the NCA with progressive colleagues.

Richard Vatz appeared for over forty years as a guest on WBAL Radio in Baltimore.

Richard Vatz has recently appeared on Fox television in Baltimore and Washington.

Richard Vatz has appeared frequently on WBFF-TV, WMAR-TV, primarily on their talk show "Square Off" hosted by Richard Sher, Maryland Public Television, WJZ-TV, and WBAL-TV.

Over his career Richard Vatz published in The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, The Los Angeles Times and multiple other publications; he wrote and writes on conservative perspectives generally.

Richard Vatz was a blogger for Red Maryland and blogged several pieces a year on national conservative perspectives on rhetorical theory, media criticism and contemporary political issues.

Richard Vatz claimed that mental illness should be stigmatized when not caused by physical damage, claiming that destigmatizing mental illness is counterproductive for people with mental illness to seek help.

Richard Vatz is against medical insurance coverage for those with addiction or ADHD.

In fall of 2011, the Towson Youth For Western Civilization chapter received criticism for chalking "America is a Christian Nation" on campus, but Richard Vatz remained as the advisor.

Heimbach wrote on the Youth for Western Civilization website in January 2012 that "no longer will the homosexual, Muslim, and black supremacist groups be allowed to hijack our campus," with Richard Vatz continuing to remain the advisor.

Once members of the chapter chalked "white pride" on university sidewalks in March 2012, Richard Vatz resigned as the faculty advisor for the chapter, causing the chapter to dissolve.

Richard Vatz later served as the faculty advisor for the Towson chapter of Turning Point USA, a far-right student organization.

Richard Vatz claimed he would resign if there was evidence of racism or homophobia in the chapter, but refused to resign over the messages claiming the students showed remorse.

Richard Vatz did not resign from the advisor position, and held it until his retirement.