Controversial conservative author David Horowitz addressed a mixed crowd of protesters and supporters at the Memorial Union Theater Monday, launching a week-long campaign discussing the dangers of fascist Islamic governments.
The UW-Madison College Republicans invited Horowitz to campus as part of the David Horowitz Freedom Center's campaign for Islamo-Facism Awareness Week. The campaign, which will feature similar addresses on college campuses across the country, has garnered nation-wide attention for its staunchly conservative message.
Horowitz began his speech by mentioning the negative press his campaign has received in recent weeks and accused left-wing politicians and supporters of orchestrating what he called a malicious and sinister"" campaign to target him as a racist.
""The heat has been provided by a national hate campaign which has been organized by the political left,"" he said. ""This evening is not about prejudice against Muslims.""
Horowitz spoke of the violent oppression of women, homosexuals and Jews in the totalitarian states of the Middle East, the necessity for Americans to support Israel and the historical background of the Middle East conflict.
Horowitz also defended the war effort in Iraq, stressing that pulling troops out of Iraq would embolden the anti-American radicals and allow Iran to gain control over the Middle East.
""We took down Saddam Hussein,"" he said. ""And we need to win the war in Iraq in order to avoid a world war which will be even more costly than the Second World War.""
Horowitz's visit was not met without some hostility, however, as multiple UW-Madison student groups demonstrated against Horowitz before, during and after the address.
Shortly before the doors opened for the event, close to 75 students from various student organizations, including the UW-Madison College Democrats, the International Socialist Organization and the Campus Anti-War Network gathered outside the theater to protest Horowitz's arrival.
Members of these groups pestered Horowitz throughout his speech with laughter and groans of impatience, but were otherwise respectful of his right to be there.
The speech was notably interrupted however, when former UW lecturer Kevin Barrett stood up and began questioning Horowitz about the events of 9/11.
Barrett was unable to address Horowitz, however, as he was drowned out by jeers from the audience.
Barrett gained notoriety for teaching 9/11 conspiracy theories in an introductory course on Islamic history and culture at UW-Madison in fall 2006.
Members and supporters of the Muslim Student Association gathered to show their disapproval of Horowitz's message.
Instead of the MSA using vocal opposition against Horowitz, however, many members wore green and approached Horowitz with questions in the Q&A portion of the address.
""We believe that religion should be separate from culture,"" said MSA Event Chair Ammar Ali in the Q&A section of the event. ""The actions of terrorists should be separated from Islam itself. Those people don't represent Islam.""
During the half hour Q&A, Horowitz responded to questions about controversial statements made on his web page and in his books, criticisms of his campaign and various claims he had made in his speech. Horowitz seemed to lose some of his earlier composure at that time, occasionally insulting questioners and cutting them off as they spoke.
College Republicans Vice Chair Mattie Duppler said she had mixed reactions to the event.
""I think it's his inability to defend it that troubles me,"" she said. ""I don't feel that he held up to criticism real well. I still stand by the message that we're trying to portray here.""
