Student Leader Says Emory Censors Conservative Voices
by Jim Brown
February 24, 2004
(AgapePress) - A university founded by the Methodist Church has barred a popular conservative writer and pundit from the campus.The College Council at Emory University has voted down a bill that would have paid FrontPage magazine editor David Horowitz to speak on campus in April. Ed Thayer, who chairs the Emory College Republicans, believes Horowitz was rejected by the school because his message of academic freedom threatens liberal special interests on campus.
"The objections go beyond David Horowitz himself ... to the fact that Emory is a very hostile environment to speakers that bring a conservative message," the conservative student says. He notes that Horowitz is the second conservative speaker in the space of a year to be denied funds by the College Council.
However, according to Thayer, liberal speakers "receive no harsh treatment" during the selections process and "float through without any debate whatsoever."
The College Republicans chairman, who had been seeking passage of the bill to fund Horowitz's visit, says the College Council's decision was heavily influenced by liberal campus groups.
"The Black Student Alliance and the NAACP chapter both mobilized their organizations very effectively and brought about 30 to 35 people to the meeting to protest the Horowitz bill," Thayer says, "and they circulated an online petition, which had some misinformation in it, to energize their bases and bring them out in force."
Controversy erupted two years ago when Horowitz spoke at Emory University. At that time, African American students accused the conservative commentator of being racist because of his strong opposition to the idea of paying reparations to the descendents of black slaves.
