TO THE EDITOR:
Our first and most pressing concern are claims by some that his lecture made them feel unsafe on campus. We wholeheartedly believe that UNC is a safe place for all students and call into question any claims that there are legitimate threats to the safety of students on the basis of color, creed or ethnicity on UNC’s campus. We want to be sure that UNC remains a safe place for everyone.
Throughout his speech, Mr. Horowitz brought many uncomfortable facts and opinions that challenged the prevailing viewpoint regarding groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine and the Muslim Students Association on the national level. However, he did not specifically attack the affiliated groups here at UNC, nor did he say that all of the members of these groups held views in line with radical Islam. Horowitz said that he believed that the majority of Muslims are peaceful people. We do not condone hate speech, but what we must embrace on this campus is intellectual diversity.
If the left can bring a speaker as one-sided and divisive as Angela Davis, who was labeled a “dangerous terrorist” and was put on the FBI Most Wanted List for her involvement in the deadly takeover of a courthouse in Marin County, California, the College Republicans reserve the right to invite a similarly passionate, yet law-abiding, individual in David Horowitz.
The UNC College Republicans aim to attend as many events as possible that put us outside of our comfort zones. Fortunately for us, many events that challenge our traditional beliefs are held during the school year. Unfortunately, there are very few events throughout the school year that seek to question traditionally liberal viewpoints.
This is why the UNC College Republicans, with our limited funding, strive to invite at least one speaker with a conservative background per semester to lecture on a topic of their choosing. In closing, we would like to extend an invitation to the entire student body to attend more events that challenge their worldviews. As humans, we grow by confronting and considering opposing views.
Frank Pray
Chairman, College Republicans
