Posted on 04/16/2009 6:28:47 AM PDT by Bulldawg Fan
CHAPEL HILL In 1963, state legislators silenced a communist's speech on campus. Forty-six years later, protesting students silenced a conservative ex-congressman because of his views on immigration.
The result is the same: a black mark on UNC Chapel Hill's reputation for academic freedom.
On Wednesday, UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp and UNC System President Erskine Bowles both telephoned former Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., to apologize after student protesters shouted him down as he tried to give a speech. Students smashed a window a few feet from where he stood and blocked his face with a banner that said, “No One Is Illegal.”
Tancredo is known as one of the nation's most strident voices against immigration, both legal and illegal. But on Tuesday he never got to make his argument against in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants. The broken glass, and the subsequent use of pepper-spray by police, shut down the event while Tancredo was describing recent legislation aimed at providing such benefits.
News reports and online video footage prompted outrage across the state and nation Wednesday. In Washington, the founder of Youth for Western Civilization, whose UNC chapter sponsored the talk, called on Thorp to invite Tancredo back at the university's expense. Tancredo seized upon the protest as a fundraising opportunity for his political action committee, Team America.
The incident clearly touched a nerve, Thorp said. His phone rang steadily from the early hours Wednesday. None were happy callers.
“Some were from alums and a lot were from all over the country,” he said. “We didn't get anything from anybody happy with the way things went. The fact that it got out of hand is embarrassing.”
Thorp has promised an investigation that might lead to criminal charges or other disciplinary measures. Specifically, students could be punished for vandalism and pushing a police officer, he said.
Thorp said he was disappointed the students didn't uphold the university's commitment to free speech and diverse viewpoints.
Say that with money, a Trancredo supporter said.
“If he really means that, then I think the university should pay for Congressman Tancredo to come back and give his speech and ensure his security,” said Kevin DeAnna, a 26-year-old graduate student at American University in Washington who founded Youth for Western Civilization last year.
DeAnna works as a deputy field director for a conservative education group, the Leadership Institute, which paid Tancredo $3,000 for his UNC appearance. A month ago, the institute sponsored Tancredo's speech at American, where hundreds of students wore black in silent protest. Tancredo said those students let him speak, whereas their UNC counterparts “overwhelmed” nine campus police officers.
The American students “respected our right to free speech,” DeAnna said.
The UNC event began with Riley Matheson, the leader of the school's Youth for Western Civilization chapter, explaining his organization's conservative politics and introducing Tancredo.
No one set guidelines for audience behavior. Tancredo refused to speak as long as protesters were shouting him down, but he tolerated large banners until two women blocked his face with one.
“We always anticipate civil discourse,” said campus police spokesman Randy Young. “That doesn't always turn out to be the case.”
Thorp said the university will look at how to better prepare for controversial speakers.
Jennifer Rudinger, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in North Carolina, said the protesters' actions amounted to “de facto censorship.” She had seen video of Tancredo's appearance on YouTube.
“This is disturbing,” she said. “That video is chilling.”
Rudinger said Tancredo has the right to express his views against mass immigration, just as students at N.C. State had the right to paint racist remarks against President Obama on the campus Expression Tunnel on Election Day last fall.
Roger Perry, chairman of the UNC Board of Trustees, called the protest shameful.
“All thoughts and views should have freedom of expression on our campus,” he said.
Events are planned at both N.C. State and UNC next week so students can discuss how to protect free speech and oppose hate speech on their campuses.
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And have these students been expelled?
People who disagree with the speaker should be expected to wait till a question and answer session at the end of the talk like civilized people. I'm getting tired of these old children acting like a bunch of 3 year olds whining about something that they do not like.
There was video of the event. The Hispanic students wanted him to speak and the Black students are rolling their eyes at the White kids protesting.
In a Fox interview, Tancedo said that what most disturbed him was that professors attending the event were egging the students on...the “adults” were worse than the juvenile “skulls full of mush.” THAT is what the university president ought to grilled about because he is responsible for the caliber of instructors on his campus. A UNC degree is nothing to be proud of until the Board of Regents cleans up this institution.
Ah but it is those right wing extremists who go to Tax Day Tea Parties that Department of Homeland Security has to watch out for. They could be violent and throw bricks and smash windows and do unlawful things.
Oh did I forget to mention. They used the TASER BRO!
They were probably given extra credit.
Why are do many students seem to have so much free time? I know if I was paying for my kids to go to college I’d be really p!ssed if they had enough free time to lollygag around. I know when I took electronic engineering I didn’t have a spare minute to waste attending stupid protests.
No kidding. The "adults" should be setting a proper example for the old children. If it was up to me, any employee of the university who egged on this protest would be canned.
By the way... the term "old children" is what I use to describe people who are no longer minors in a legal sense but still act like they are children. If anyone has a better term, I'd be happy to consider it.
Simple. These old children are in easy majors that do not require a lot of studying in order to maintain a passing GPA. In most "real" majors, unless you are exceptionally gifted, you spend most of your time studying.
Compound this with the fact that many old children borrow all of their living expense money in addition to tuition money. This frees up time that would have been spent working.
That is the first time I have heard that Tancredo opposed legal immigration. Is it true?
And have these students been expelled?
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As I understood it....the professors that were present were encouraging the students. Real surprise, huh?
I've heard Tancredo speak many times (he's local) he is not opposed to legal immigration. If fact, as most of us, he supports it.
As usual, the Left realizes their arguments are empty, and has to bolster them with lies.
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