[Vision2020] Right to Speak

[Debbie Gray]

Once again I am confused about who's freedom of expression/speech/etc is
valued? I thought it applied to everyone?

Otherwise campuses would not have such
"controversial to someone-somewhere-for sure"
conferences/appearances/speakers as:

--UC professor Ward Churchill ("9/11 victims were little eichmann's")
--Campus ProLife clubs
--Holocaust Denial conferences
--Vagina Monologues
--Hilary Clinton
--George W Bush
--Pro-choice speakers
--Pro-SpongeBob speakers
--Anti-Patrick-the-Starfish speakers
--Dora-The-Explorer-is-the-Antichrist speakers
--No-Sean-Hannity-is-the-AntiChrist speakers
--Jon-Stewart-For-POTUS movements (go Jon!)

ETCETERA

I don't understand. I know you don't like the content, but that doesn't
make it go away. Does hiding these people away make them disappear? No. I
think it is better to have them show themselves for what they are and let
people decide for themselves. All the more easy to go down in flames a
la Richard Butler and cronies. And all this rumbling about them daring
appear in public is only giving them more fuel for their 'we are poor
christian martyrs' front thus providing them with a more sympathetic
audience wondering what these "damn liberals' don't want us to hear. And I
say this as a damn liberal...

If they are paying the fee and not promoting criminal activity or such,
how can this conference be banned over anything else? Didn't Coeur d'Alene
learn they couldn't ban the Aryan Nations JackBoot Parade? And how much
did that cost in legal fees? The University isn't providing them free
space, lodging, refreshments, etc. The University doesn't provide
anything
for free. What about people who might be offended by the Native American
conference and fancydancing? I think it's great (and am ready for some
frybread again this summer) but what if someone were
offended because their great great grandpappy was killed in the early
years of the 'wild west'? Would you feel the pain of their protest???
Would you be up in consumer arms that the UI was undercutting other local
conference-space providers???

My frontal lobe is throbbing again...

Debbie

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  Debbie Gray      dgray at uidaho.edu
  We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
  so as to have the life that is waiting for us." --Joseph Campbell
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