(no subject)
The University of South Florida recently decided to spend $35,000 of student and tax money to bring a speaker for a two hour talk, followed by a Q&A session, to a free and open-to-the-public venue. This in itself-- if the speaker is inspirational, of quality and logic and is agreed upon by the students-- is a high amount, but still possibly acceptable. Possibly. I however, have to disagree with the university spending $35,000 on a two hour talk and Question/Answer session from Student and tax payer money in this case: Ann Coulter was invited to speak at USF.
For me, the issue is not freedom of speech; indeed, people have a right to talk and lecture about whatever they want to lecture about. I do not agree with Coulter. That doesn't mean, at all, that she should be silenced; in fact, I encourage her to excersize her right. I however, discourage the university from using tuition money and tax money to pay for someone who does not embody or speak of ideals the university should hope to instill in its students: Tolerance, responsibility for opinions, and understanding. At the very least, permission should be asked.
I got information about the protest against having Ann Coulter on campus through livejournal. it said to meet at 5:00 in front of the venue, wear a red shirt, and the plan of action will follow. it wasn't hard, when approaching the SunDome (Where all Lecture Series events are held) to see a good 100 people wearing red shirts. As a loner, finding some allies was as important as going to the event itself-- I joined with the PRIDE movement, & the College Democrats, only fitting, as a democrat and a bisexual. But as we were approaching an even bigger group of red shirts (possibly another 50 or so), I saw a "KEEP THE FAITH" shirt.
"Keep the faith? What? Here?" I thought. Sure enough, the woman (Lauren, I think her name was) had gotten a CYF membership through her grandparents, and wore the shirt she got to the protest. I was wearing an Angels and Airwaves shirt (my CYF shirt went AWOL), but within a minute and a half of conversation, we exchanged email and information about eachother-- I told her about past involvement with CYF leadership, and she told me about her involvement thus far. Hopefully, I'll hear from her soon. She's Cool people! :-)
Sitting for that one hour, and waiting for Coulter to get on the stage was difficult. I was in a fighting mood, a riot mood, a take-them-by-force. As I got to know more people, I heard more and more voices voicing the same frustration: if not about the intolerance toward "Liberals" (misnomer, but okay...), or "Muslims" or "Gays" or "Pro-Abortionists" (Not everyone is either for or against abortion, Ann.), it was that the University felt that someone who spoke these things was acceptable to be bought as a speaker at the most expensive price this University has seen-- and that neither the students or the taxpayers had a voice in the matter. It was good to know I wasn't alone.
In the middle of Coulter's speech, when a block of us stood up silently and stared at her, she was thrown off guard. WE held up out peace signs, and stayed silent as the crowd started to get restless and whispers started to flood the room. We'd hear thirty minutes of gut-wrenching, tearing hate about gays, the supreme court, blacks, muslims, and prochoicers, and we just stood. Then, one by one, we walked from the front of the Sundome out to the back. There was a mixed reaction from the crowd. But it's one of those surreal events in life where you know, it's history, it's monumental, and all you can focus on is what you're doing, and how you're living the history.
After leaving with Natasha, I really frelt more connected and less alone in the world. And I used to laugh at those lyrics to the hymn, "we are a Gentle, Angry people"-- it just seemed so stupid to set those words next to each other-- but the silent walkout was the most potent demonstration I've ever seen.
It was good to be.
For me, the issue is not freedom of speech; indeed, people have a right to talk and lecture about whatever they want to lecture about. I do not agree with Coulter. That doesn't mean, at all, that she should be silenced; in fact, I encourage her to excersize her right. I however, discourage the university from using tuition money and tax money to pay for someone who does not embody or speak of ideals the university should hope to instill in its students: Tolerance, responsibility for opinions, and understanding. At the very least, permission should be asked.
I got information about the protest against having Ann Coulter on campus through livejournal. it said to meet at 5:00 in front of the venue, wear a red shirt, and the plan of action will follow. it wasn't hard, when approaching the SunDome (Where all Lecture Series events are held) to see a good 100 people wearing red shirts. As a loner, finding some allies was as important as going to the event itself-- I joined with the PRIDE movement, & the College Democrats, only fitting, as a democrat and a bisexual. But as we were approaching an even bigger group of red shirts (possibly another 50 or so), I saw a "KEEP THE FAITH" shirt.
"Keep the faith? What? Here?" I thought. Sure enough, the woman (Lauren, I think her name was) had gotten a CYF membership through her grandparents, and wore the shirt she got to the protest. I was wearing an Angels and Airwaves shirt (my CYF shirt went AWOL), but within a minute and a half of conversation, we exchanged email and information about eachother-- I told her about past involvement with CYF leadership, and she told me about her involvement thus far. Hopefully, I'll hear from her soon. She's Cool people! :-)
Sitting for that one hour, and waiting for Coulter to get on the stage was difficult. I was in a fighting mood, a riot mood, a take-them-by-force. As I got to know more people, I heard more and more voices voicing the same frustration: if not about the intolerance toward "Liberals" (misnomer, but okay...), or "Muslims" or "Gays" or "Pro-Abortionists" (Not everyone is either for or against abortion, Ann.), it was that the University felt that someone who spoke these things was acceptable to be bought as a speaker at the most expensive price this University has seen-- and that neither the students or the taxpayers had a voice in the matter. It was good to know I wasn't alone.
In the middle of Coulter's speech, when a block of us stood up silently and stared at her, she was thrown off guard. WE held up out peace signs, and stayed silent as the crowd started to get restless and whispers started to flood the room. We'd hear thirty minutes of gut-wrenching, tearing hate about gays, the supreme court, blacks, muslims, and prochoicers, and we just stood. Then, one by one, we walked from the front of the Sundome out to the back. There was a mixed reaction from the crowd. But it's one of those surreal events in life where you know, it's history, it's monumental, and all you can focus on is what you're doing, and how you're living the history.
After leaving with Natasha, I really frelt more connected and less alone in the world. And I used to laugh at those lyrics to the hymn, "we are a Gentle, Angry people"-- it just seemed so stupid to set those words next to each other-- but the silent walkout was the most potent demonstration I've ever seen.
It was good to be.