Outrage at Duke

OK. Just when you think you've heard it all, along come the left-wingers with an even MORE outrageous stunt. Get this...

On March 3, 2003, a certain Laura Whitehorn is scheduled to speak for the African and African-American studies program at Duke University in North Carolina. Here's how the university is billing Ms. Whitehorn on their website:

"Laura Whitehorn is a revolutionary anti-imperialist who spent over 14 years in federal prison as a political prisoner. An out lesbian, she initiated and worked in HIV peer education and support projects in each of the three federal prisons in which she did time. Since her release, she's worked with POZ Magazine, a national monthly for the communities affected by HIV. She is now writing about HCV/HIV co-infection in the prisons. She has also researched the many cases in the U.S. of HIV positive people locked up for supposed 'crimes of transmission.' She is also involved in work toward the release of all the remaining political prisoners in U.S. prisons, and she lives in Manhattan with her lover, the writer Susie Day."

Judging by the cover, you'd think this was just another run-of-the-mill anti-American gay activist...hardly anything unusual for today's university campus.

As James Taranto of OpinionJournal.com revealed yesterday in his "Best of the Web" e-newsletter, Ms. Whitehorn isn't exactly the "political prisoner" victim her PR flaks are trying to make her out to be.

A documentary uncovered by Taranto titled, "OUT: The Making of a Revolutionary," tells the rest of the story...

"Planting a bomb in the U.S. Capitol Building in 1983 was the culmination of a lifetime of radical protest for Laura Whitehorn, and 14 years in federal penitentiary have only solidified her stance as a committed American revolutionary. . . . More than simply a life and times story, OUT: The Making of a Revolutionary is a powerful indictment against the incarceration system, where still today over 100 political prisoners remain imprisoned for speaking out against the U.S. Government."

Whitehorn is no "political prisoner" who was persecuted for "speaking out against the U.S. Government."

And Duke University is rolling out the red carpet for this woman and giving her a platform of legitimacy?

To be fair, it's quite possible - maybe even probable - that the university president, Nannerl O. Keohane, knew nothing about this woman's true past and identity. Nevertheless, he knows now. And he should be rolling up that red carpet and immediately canceling this terrorist radical's appearance.

I'm all for free speech - and this wacko is free to spout her views on the street corner 'til the cows come home. But she has no *right* to mouth her bile from a lectern at one of the nation's great institutions of higher learning. Duke should tell Ms. Whitehorn to take a hike and get lost.

Duke University 207 Allen Building Box 90001 Durham, North Carolina 27708-0001 Telephone: (919) 684-2424 Facsimile: (919) 684-3050

DUKE UNIVERSITY FIGHT SONG

Duke, we thy anthems raise
For all the praises untold
We'll sing for the Blue and White
Whose colors we unfold
Firm stands her line of blue
For they are loyal through and through
Fighting with spirit true
All for the love of old D.U.
Fight, we'll fight
With all our strength and might - Hey!
Win we can
So here we lend a hand
Hey! Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah
D-U-K-E, Rah!

Hey, Duke! Too bad you don't want to fight for the Red, White and Blue anymore.

Leni

Just sent the following:

Mr. Keohane -

Call me old-fashioned, Mr. Keohane..........call me a throwback; a dinosaur.

Still, when I see that a vaunted (and local) university of (usually) impeccable academic repute decides to welcome a speaker who is billed, on your own University Web site, thusly:

"Laura Whitehorn is a revolutionary anti-imperialist who spent over 14 years in federal prison as a political prisoner. An out lesbian, she initiated and worked in HIV peer education and support projects in each of the three federal prisons in which she did time. Since her release, she's worked with POZ Magazine, a national monthly for the communities affected by HIV. She is now writing about HCV/HIV co-infection in the prisons. She has also researched the many cases in the U.S. of HIV positive people locked up for supposed 'crimes of transmission.' She is also involved in work toward the release of all the remaining political prisoners in U.S. prisons, and she lives in Manhattan with her lover, the writer Susie Day."

....then I just figure that here's another drooling liberal university nimrod, under your university "radar", inviting a gay, HIV-infected, ultra-radical feminist Communist to speak to young, malleable minds as if it's perfectly normal. I have come to expect as much from most in academia in this day and age. Yet, just in case you didn't know,

"Planting a bomb in the U.S. Capitol Building in 1983 was the culmination of a lifetime of radical protest for Laura Whitehorn, and 14 years in federal penitentiary have only solidified her stance as a committed American revolutionary. . . . More than simply a life and times story, OUT: The Making of a Revolutionary is a powerful indictment against the incarceration system, where still today over 100 political prisoners remain imprisoned for speaking out against the U.S. Government."

.....it seems that our gay, ultra-radical feminist Communist is actually a gay, HIV-infected, ultra-radical feminist, Communist, terrorist bomber. I'm sure you just couldn't be more proud that your fine institution of higher learning that happens to charge near $40K per year can tell all of your students' parents that they're paying such confiscatory rates for their children to have their minds opened and their views properly shaped by a terrorist.

Hope you have a crew ready to clean up the slime after this person's appearance.................and shame on you for ever, EVER allowing such garbage to even walk onto your campus.

I'd take this to the News & Observer, Mr. Keohane, but they'd merely applaud your "open-mindedness".

Sign me, "Disgusted and Glad That My College-Aged Children Attend NC State",

[RightOnline's real name]

Raleigh, NC

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