UNC's do-over
For a second straight week UNC-Chapel Hill hosted a controversial speaker.
Last week it was former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, an outspoken foe of legal immigration.
It did not end well.
This week it was another former congressman, Virgil Goode, who opposes multi-culturalism, mass immigration and affirmative action.
It ended better.
Tancredo had not been allowed to speak at all, heckled and jeered from the start. Protesters even unfurled a banner in front of Tancredo, blocking the audience's view.
A window was broken. Campus police ultimately had to resort to pepper spray.
This time Goode was allowed to deliver his entire 20-minute speech.
A half-dozen protesters who attempted to disrupt him were arrested. A UNC official, Assistant Vice Chancellor Winston Crisp, earlier had given the audience fair warning: Do not to interrupt Goode's address.
Outside, in a popular gathering area called The Pit, a small group of more sensible protesters held signs.
UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp rightly apologized for the way it had handled Tancredo's speech. Those who were loudest and rudest held sway that night.
On Wednesday night, the university made the best of a fortuitous do-over.
Some argue that only certain views should be protected by the constitutionally guaranteed right to free speech.
That's dangerous thinking.
Who decides which views are allowed free speech and which ones are not?
The better course was the one taken Wednesday night.
Comments (1)
To report abuse of the comment feature on this site, please use the feedback form at the bottom of any page.
Controversial speaker? Virgil Goode, I have know this man for 25 years, you never meet a nicer person are a better American.
Maybe there lies the problem!
Could it be , he's like Cindy Sheehan, when she was bashing Bush, she was front page news.
She made many lte, she bashed Obama, and she became history.
Posted on April 23, 2009 3:06 PM