Tempe, AZ (LifeNews.com) -- Arizona State University is coming under fire for inviting controversial infanticide advocate Peter Singer to speak on campus. The Princeton professor will reportedly receive $20,000 for the speech, where the audience will not be allowed to question him on his anti-newborn views.Singer promoted the notion as early as 1984 that parents of disabled newborns be allowed to kill the baby shortly after birth. In some cases, he says newborns with disabilities should absolutely be killed.
He expanded on the idea with the publication of his book Should the Baby Live? The Problem of Handicapped Infants a year later.
The Phoenix New Times indicates Arizona State University is flying Singer in for a speech next week, but instead of promoting euthanasia, Singer will talk about "conscientious food choices" in a lecture titled, "The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter."
Ironically, the talk will focus on five principles for making conscientious food choices, including the principles that "inflicting unnecessary suffering on animals is wrong" and that "preserving life and health" is more important than other concerns.
In a flier promoting the event, ASU makes no mention of Singer's pro-infanticide views, preferring to highlight how he is "actively involved in several humanitarian organizations worldwide."
Noted bioethicist Wesley Smith, a California-based author and attorney, says there's apparently good money in promoting the death and destruction of human beings.
"Pushing death pays," he said in response to the lecture. "Recall Jack Kevorkian was paid $50,000 to speak at the University of Florida."
"But Singer hasn't actually murdered anyone, so he gets a paltry $20,000," he said sarcastically. "Perhaps if he acted on his culture of death convictions he could give himself a raise."
Smith said the lecture would be less offensive if attendees could confront Singer about his controversial views.
"The organizers aren't letting Singer be confronted about anything other than food. So much for the free exchange of ideas on today's modern college campus," he added.
The speech is Monday, April 28 at 2 p.m. at the Evelyn Smith Music Theatre.
ACTION: To protest the speaking event, contact clasambassadors@asu.edu or call (480) 965-2975.
