Horowitz to Lecture On Peace Movement

Horowitz will speak at 7 p.m. today in Memorial Hall. The speech, which is sponsored by the College Republicans, is free and open to the public.

Horowitz has criticized recent teach-ins at UNC and the University of California-Berkeley, calling them critical of the war and anti-American.

"My greatest concern is the lack of academic freedom for anyone who disagrees with the left," Horowitz said in a phone interview with The Daily Tar Heel on Tuesday. "In order to get a good education you have to have discussion of both sides of an issue."

Senior Rheta Burton, president of the College Republicans, said the group chose to bring Horowitz to campus because of his "unique" political history.

"This isn't just some guy spouting the regular anti-war rhetoric," she said. "He's been in both the pro- and anti-war movement. He's a unique individual."

Horowitz emerged as a leader of the New Left radicals while studying at Columbia University and UC-Berkeley in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

During his leftist days, Horowitz edited the New Left magazine Ramparts and maintained close ties with Black Panther Party leader Huey Newton.

Horowitz's political orientation shifted from left-wing liberal to staunch conservative in the early 1980s.

Given Horowitz's complex political past, Burton said, the College Republicans hope his speech will provide students with a more balanced perspective on the nation's war on terrorism.

Burton said that while there have been numerous anti-war demonstrations since the Sept. 11 attacks, the viewpoint of war supporters has not been fairly presented.

Horowitz said that while the main focus of his speech will be on the anti-war movement, he will field questions about other topics he has been vocal about in the past as long as the discussion is kept civil.

Horowitz gained national attention last year when he solicited college newspapers to run his ad denouncing slavery reparations. The DTH did not run the advertisement but published columns on the issue from Horowitz, Chancellor James Moeser, DTH Editor Matt Dees and students who disagreed with Horowitz.

Publication of Horowitz's columns spurred campuswide protests led by a newly formed group called the On the Wake of Emancipation Campaign.

Horowitz said University administration should have a representative on-stage to help keep tonight's audience civil. In addition to the regular security at Memorial Hall, Horowitz's own bodyguards will be present.

Some UNC students say they plan to protest Horowitz's visit to campus.

Junior Fred Hashagen, coordinator for the OWE Campaign, said he finds Horowitz's request for civility hypocritical. "How one declares war on the University of North Carolina, then says they want to keep things 'civil' baffles me," he said.

Although he would not disclose details, Hashagen said the campaign is planning to protest tonight's event.

Burton said protesters are welcome to attend the speech so they can hear the other side of the issue.

"If they're just coming in to make noise, though, we're going to have to ask them to leave."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.