Flynt event didn’t embrace the marketplace of ideas

TO THE EDITOR:

I attended pornographer Larry Flynt’s lecture on Thursday and was threatened with removal. During the question and answer period, I stepped up to the microphone and told the audience I had written out my question and would read it.

While contextualizing my question, I was interrupted by the moderators after about 30 seconds. They demanded my next sentence be a direct question or they’d throw me out. I continued to speak and a campus police officer covered the microphone, saying he would eject me if I did not immediately ask a one-sentence question. I’ve attended many Q&As on campus and have never seen someone threatened in such a way.

This event was billed as a “marketplace of ideas,” but apparently not for those who attempt to ask unpopular questions. Why is this? The fake programs distributed by Feminist Students United to more than 300 audience members provide answers and tell a fuller story about Flynt.

The program recognized that Flynt has the right to speak, but asked people to examine the content of the products he sells — and profits enormously from — in the name of free speech.

For example, it listed the titles of his videos, including “Big Black Meat in Little Blonde Treats” and “Face-Down, Ass-Up Asian Style.” An article about the event appeared on the pornography Web site Adult Video News — clear evidence that the pornography industry is using the law school to legitimize selling its racist and sexist material.



Anthony J. Maglione
UNC ’09