Claremont College Students Silence Conservative Speaker
- Updated Apr 11, 2017
Students at Claremont College in California recently prevented a conservative speaker from giving a scheduled speech on campus.
The Daily Signal reports that conservative commentator Heather Mac Donald was scheduled to give a talk titled “The War on Police” which was based on her 2016 book addressing how political rhetoric against the police makes America less safe.
However, Mac Donald was prevented from even entering the building where she was to deliver the speech because students with signs reading “Black Lives Matter” and “How do you spell fascism? CMC!” blocked the entrance.
Mac Donald had to resort to streaming her speech online, where 250 students reportedly tuned in to hear it.
Claremont College’s vice president of academic affairs acknowledged the students’ right to free speech, but condemned the lack of free speech they gave to Mac Donald.
“I fully understand that people have strong opinions and different—often painful—experiences with the issues Heather Mac Donald discusses. I also understand that words can hurt.
What we face here is not an attempt to demonstrate, or to ask tough questions of our speaker, all of which are both protected and cherished on this campus, but rather to make it impossible for her to speak, for you to listen, and for all of us to debate. This we could not accept.”
Photo courtesy: Flickr.com
Publication date: April 11, 2017
