Posted on 09/24/2004 7:08:30 AM PDT by Jagdgewehr
SAN MARCOS – After being banned by the Cal State San Marcos president, Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore will speak to students in North County after all.
The announcement came yesterday during a rare student protest at the 15-year-old university that drew more than 250 students and faculty who accused the university administration of censorship.
"This is the most people I've ever seen in one place in my entire time at this school. It's a beautiful thing," said senior Chris Irving, who said he cut his favorite class, human sexuality, to protest.
Junior Jason E. Williams, who attended with fellow track team members, said, "What doesn't make sense is that any university would try to restrict knowledge."
University President Karen Haynes attended yesterday's peaceful protest, saying, "This is a good outcome for everybody."
During the past two weeks, California State University San Marcos made national headlines after Haynes revoked its speaking invitation to Moore, who said it was the only university to disinvite him. The action was denounced by the American Association of University Professors and many of the campus faculty, and set off a debate among civil libertarians and people in higher education about academic freedom.
When Cal State originally invited Moore, it was for a 1,500-seat venue. Now he is booked for Oct. 12 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, with a capacity of 13,000 – nearly twice the size of the university's enrollment. Moore's appearance will be free to Cal State San Marcos' 7,500 students and $10 for the public.
Haynes revoked Moore's invitation claiming it would be illegal to spend university funds on such a "partisan" speaker – unless he came after the November presidential election. And she said that she was canceling Moore's address out of concern that there would not be political balance, although she acknowledged the university did not try to find a conservative speaker.
Manal Yamout, student government president, said support for the students' efforts was overwhelming and within days they raised more than $40,000 from private donors to cover Moore's visit.
JOHN GASTALDO / Union-Tribune Jim Bohorquez of Escondido made his point at the protest yesterday over the cancellation of Michael Moore's talk at California State University San Marcos.
One donor is locally based Herring Broadcast Inc., which produces the cable network Wealth TV. Chris Moore, director of programming, said the company gave $15,000 because executives felt this was a free speech issue, regardless of whether the speaker was conservative or liberal.
But a spokesman for longtime Cal State San Marcos corporate sponsor Mission Federal Credit Union said it withdrew support for the university's speaker series months ago because of Moore's scheduled appearance.
The filmmaker was originally scheduled for October 2003 but the event was canceled because of the Southern California wildfires. Neville Billimoria, senior vice president of membership for Mission Federal, said the support was withdrawn out of concern the financial institution could lose its nonprofit status by sponsoring a figure who, he said, "is such a lightning rod. We were uncomfortable with that."
Some conservative Cal State students applauded the president's decision because they said they didn't want their fees going to a speaker whose views they disagreed with. Moore is a figure so disliked in some conservative quarters that some have made their own films criticizing him, including one called "FarenHype 911" aimed at countering Moore's anti-Bush film, "Fahrenheit 911." The anti-Moore film is due for release Oct. 5.
But Yamout said students of all political stripes supported the Associated Students' efforts to bring Moore independently of the university, and many decried the university cancellation. Yamout said students are still trying to bring in a conservative speaker.
Moore was unavailable for comment yesterday, but in an earlier interview, he told The San Diego Union-Tribune that he offered to help the university secure a conservative voice, and that he helped other colleges book alternative speakers in the past – including commentator and best-selling author Ann Coulter.
Moore had threatened to sue the university for not honoring its contract to sponsor him, saying that he didn't want the students to spend their money on him instead of books. University officials have said they had no contract with him.
Yesterday, one of the protesters included a pregnant student who said her husband is fighting unwillingly in Iraq, on his second deployment. Emily, who did not want to use her full name because she feared U.S. military reprisals against her husband, said she supports Moore despite his anti-war views.
"Michael Moore has always stood up for the working class. Michael Moore is the only one who stood up and asked why we were sending people to die in Iraq," she said. The couple's baby is due Thanksgiving.
They weren't. Trust me.
No kidding,,what "knowledge" does Michael Moore possess?
And,,he "represents the working class?" She is in the twilight zone. He is a wealthy Manhattan millionaire who calls Americans stupid,,,,,,is that what she calls standing up for the working class?
Communist traitor.
College isn't what it used to be, LOL
One can only imagine what that class is about, when I was in school the "human sexuality" stuff came outside the classroom.
Now they've figured out how to charge regular academic tuition for what used to be extracurricular activities.
They may be corrupt, but they ain't stupid.
I did a search and found a Jim Bohorquez of the Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego. FWIW, you would think he would know how to spell.
GAWD, don't you love the misspelling of "speach" on the guy's mouth??? What a moron.
Thank you for pointing that out.
Sounds like a great opportunity for a FReep.
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