Univ. Statement on Disruption of the "Minutemen Forum" Sponsored by the Columbia College Republicans

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/06/10/statement061005.html ^ | 10/06/06

[Pokey78]

Free Speech on Campus is Everyone's Right and Responsibility.

The University deplores the disruption that took place last night at the "Minutemen Forum" sponsored by the Columbia College Republicans at Alfred Lerner Hall. The specific facts surrounding the incident are under active investigation by the University and so it is premature to make any official statement regarding facts that are yet to be confirmed.

This much is a matter of core principle at Columbia: The freedom to speak, to pursue ideas, and to hear and evaluate viewpoints totally objectionable to one's own is an essential value of this university and, indeed, of our civil society. We defend the right to peaceful protest and expression of opposing views. But it is never acceptable for anyone to physically take to a stage and interrupt a speaker.

Our regulations are intended to help event organizers, participants and protestors maintain a safe environment for members of the University community and their guests to engage in meaningful and sometimes contentious debate across the spectrum of academic and political issues. We will continue to review the events of last evening to determine how that safe environment was violated and take appropriate measures to ensure it does not happen again.

[edcoil]

The leftist have always been violent - they are Nazi's only looking to kill all your Constitional rights.

[Parley Baer]

Another case that proves there is no freedom of speech on college campuses. Just politically correct speech approved by the libs.

[Little Ray]

So, when are they going to expel the individuals responsible?

[RedCell]

I saw a little bit of this as I flipped by H&C last night. Unreal. Bunch of punks.

[weegee]

Violent leftists BUMP

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=electionviolence

[traditional1]

Naturally, there's absolutely NO mention of punishment of those involved, and it's an "internal investigation", rather than referring it to Legal Authorities to investigate, such as the local Police or even the FBI or Justice Department.

Prepare for the whitewash findings.

[weegee]

If it is like the agitators in the 1960s, many of them don't even go to the school.

[magoo70804]

I think actually that they have retained the Washington Park Police who were so professional and thorough in the Vince Foster 'suicide'.

[Smokin' Joe]

...take appropriate measures to ensure it does not happen again.

...could that be an end to Conservatives speaking on campus?

[reagan_fanatic]

My first true exposure to political 'tolerance' on campus came during a visit to a community college here in town about 15 years ago. It was election time, and the front lobby was adorned with posters and booths with sign-up information for the democratic candidate, not to mention a large picture of him hanging in the lobby.

Nowhere, and I mean NOWHERE, was a single pamphlet or shred of information to be found on the Republican candidate anywhere.

So much for 'diversity', 'tolerance and 'free speech'.

[concerned about politics]

The far left is todays new Stalinist Party.
Unless the American people speak as the far left demands they speak, they're not allowed to speak at all. They're be punished for their "disobedience".

Remember, it was the far left trying to get hate speech legislation passed. It would have been illegal and punishable by law to speak out against ANY left wing special interest group in any way.

[kalee]

That was my first thought, Republican events will not be allowed, too disruptive, etc and nothing will be done to the disruptors.

[Mogger]

While looking around the Columbia site for e-mail addresses to mail to I stumbled across this at:

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/secretary/trustees/emer_trust.html

The Trustees Emeriti of Columbia University

ARTHUR OCHS SULZBERGER Chairman Emeritus The New York Times Company

CHARLES F. LUCE Chairman Emeritus Consolidated Edison of New York, Inc.

LAWRENCE E. WALSH Counsel Crowe & Dunlevy

CHARLES M. METZNER Senior United States District Judge U.S. District Court

MARTHA T. MUSE Chairman The Tinker Foundation, Inc.

CONNIE S. MANIATTY Honorary Managing Director Citigroup Inc.

THOMAS L. CHRYSTIE Partner (retired) Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

SAMUEL L. HIGGINBOTTOM, Chair Emeritus Chairman and President (retired) Rolls-Royce, Inc.

MICHAEL I. SOVERN, President Emeritus of the University Kent Professor of Law Columbia University

G.G. MICHELSON, Chair Emerita

WARREN H. PHILLIPS Director, Chairman and CEO (retired) Dow Jones & Co., Inc.

STANLEY L. TEMKO Senior Counsel Covington & Burling

EDWARD N. COSTIKYAN Counsel Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

JOHN GOELET Goelet Corporation

HENRY L. KING, Chair Emeritus Senior Counsel Davis Polk & Wardwell

JERRY I. SPEYER, Chair Emeritus President Tishman Speyer Properties, Inc.

JOSEPH D. WILLIAMS Chairman and CEO (retired) Warner-Lambert Company

LIONEL I. PINCUS, Chair Emeritus Chairman Warburg Pincus

MARYLIN B. LEVITT Assistant Professor George Washington University

JOHN J. CURLEY Chairman, President and CEO Gannett Co., Inc.

EDWARD BOTWINICK President Botwinick-Wolfensohn Foundation, Inc.

EDWIN ROBBINS Of Counsel Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom

ARNOLD S. RELMAN Professor Emeritus of Medicine and of Social Medicine Harvard Medical School Editor Emeritus New England Journal of Medicine

STEPHEN FRIEDMAN, Chair Emeritus Senior Principal MMC Capital, Inc.

WALTER BURKE

JOHN E. ZUCCOTTI Chairman Brookfield Financial Properties

ANNA K. LONGOBARDO Director, Strategic Initiatives (retired) Unisys Corporation

ROBERT K. KRAFT Founder and Chairman, The Kraft Group Owner and CEO, The New England Patriots

MARGARET E. MAHONEY President MEM Associates, Inc.

DAVID J. STERN, Chair Emeritus Commissioner National Basketball Association

MATHY MEZEY Independence Professor of Nursing Education New York University

EVAN DAVIS Partner Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton

GEORGE E. RUPP, President Emeritus of the University President International Rescue Committee

JOHN S. CHALSTY Chairman Muirfield Capital Management, LLC

GEORGE L. VAN AMSON Managing Director Morgan Stanley

MAUREEN A. COGAN Children's Advocate, Philanthropist

DONALD F. McHENRY Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy Georgetown University School of Foreign Service

YUZABURO MOGI President and CEO Kikkoman Corporation

JEROME A. CHAZEN Chairman Chazen Capital Partners, LLC

LAURANS A. MENDELSON Chairman, President and CEO HEICO Corporation

[Ilky Hucktar]

Libthink: Conservatives must not be allowed to describe their point of view because they are intolerant.

[Skooz]

So, when are they going to expel the individuals responsible?

Stop it! You're killin' me......

[Mogger]

Then I found this:

secretary@columbia.edu

[Cicero]

The specific facts surrounding the incident are under active investigation by the University and so it is premature to make any official statement regarding facts that are yet to be confirmed.

I wonder if they would have phrased it this way if a gang of skinheads had broken up a leftist meeting?

[Mogger]

And I found this:

Larry Dais

Assistant Vice President/Director

Government and Community Affairs

Columbia University in the City of New York

535 W. 116th St.

Room 302 Low Library MC 4319

New York, NY 10027

Tel: (212) 854-5915

Fax: (212) 666-1952

ld1@columbia.edu

communityaffairs@columbia.edu

[Laserman]

Notice that they do not condem shouting down speakers, or in other ways disrupting the meeting, only taking the stage and physically interfering with the speaker. Thus, the time honored leftist technique of shouting down speakers is alive and well at Columbia!