Speakers with Radical Ideas on College Campuses

Should speakers with radical ideas be allowed to speak on college campuses? In my opinion, yes.

In September of 2016, conservative speaker Allen West triggered controversy on Saint Louis University's campus with the advertisement of his speaking event. West is a conservative activist and retired Army lieutenant colonel who was invited to SLU by the College Republicans, a club on campus.

In a flyer promoting the event, College Republicans used the term "radical Islam" to describe a topic West would cover during his speech. SLU administration promptly denied the use of the flyer as an advertisement around campus.

Dylan McCloskey, president of College Republicans, told SLU’s University News that “West’s agency expressed that they would like to brand the event with radical Islam. Radical Islam, referencing people who use the name of Islam to kill or hate others, which is not in any way synonymous with all Muslims,” he said.

While the advertisement was made by students, West defended their decision. He wrote on his website that he had been “censored” by the University and that his freedom of speech is being threatened due to the “liberal agenda” that SLU has. After the controversial statements made by West, it wasn’t long before SLU students demanded administration cancel his event.

West may have been unaware of the private status of the University, but he did formally accept the speaking engagement at SLU. This establishes that SLU is allowed to make decisions they see fit with their values. According to an official from the Trump administration, private universities have the ability to make their own rules regarding free speech, but must “comply with their stated institutional policies regarding free inquiry.” 

One of SLU’s institutional missions is to promote discussion of differing ideas in order to create tolerance among SLU students. This factored in to the decision made by SLU president Fred Pestello, P.h.D., to allow West to speak as scheduled. “As an institution of higher learning, SLU must resist the urge to suppress speech and instead expose all ideas and positions, provocative or pedestrian, to critical scrutiny,” he stated in an email to the SLU community.

The event was peacefully protested by students who disagreed with West. Most of these students came to the speaking event and performed a walkout when West entered the stage. Others stayed for the entire evening and asked him questions that were vetted by staff. West acknowledged the controversy in his speech, stating that he did not believe all muslims were evil, but that Islamic terrorists exist and pose a real threat. 

While I may not agree with his viewpoints, I do think he should be allowed to speak at SLU. As long as his speech is passable by SLU's standards, he had the right to be there. At the same time, SLU had the right to deny his controversial advertisement, as it did not align with their values, and SLU students had the right to peacefully protest the event, as it is protected by the First Amendment. 

As John Stuart Mill states, “If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.” 

No matter how opposed an idea is, it can’t be silenced just because a community does not agree with it. Every person is and should be allowed to share their ideas, no matter how controversial -- whether that be to a huge audience, or a small auditorium filled with college students.