In the fall of 1998, Ward Connerly, a member of the University of California Board of Regents and an anti-affirmative action leader, was hissed off the Wisconsin Union Theater stage after speaking only a few minutes. Those preventing him from speaking were the same people who, a few hours earlier, marched from the Capitol to Library Mall in support of affirmative action. By displaying their point of view and not allowing Connerly to present his, the closed-minded protesters, mostly UW-Madison students, failed to grant Connerly and other students who wished to hear his views the respect they deserved. Such protests create an unwelcoming atmosphere on campus'one in which people are afraid to voice their opinions.
Next Tuesday, there is a danger that members of the campus community will similarly repress another speaker with controversial views. We do not necessarily support the views of radical conservative author David Horowitz on slavery reparations, but he deserves the ability to make those views heard in his Distinguished Lecture Series speech, just as Randall Robinson did.
However, our campus community is one that seriously hinders dissenting points of view.
Protest and debate are admirable ways to express dissatisfaction with the ideas of Horowitz and those like him. However, here they have been used as weapons to hinder others' rights to express their views. Censorship on this campus often comes from the left; again and again, this has been the case at UW-Madison.
The members of this community who disagree with the opinions of our upcoming DLS speaker should allow him to speak in a polite and unthreatening environment. And we hope that, upon completion of his talk, you respond calmly and rationally. Remember, there is nothing you can say to change such a closed mind. Saying it louder or with greater hyperbole will not only start a shouting match, it will also detract from the rational arguments that must be made to counteract bigotry and slander.
Whether you think Horowitz is a racist or an incendiary reactionary, the only power he has is given by coming across to some as a lone voice of reason. Do not give him that satisfaction. Please do not sink to a level he wants his audience to; defend the right to speak of a man with whom you disagree. Then, calmly make sure he doesn't have the last word.
