Texas State University Shutting Down Free Speech on Campus
Former FreedomWorks intern Jessica Irwin has been dragged in front of Texas State administrators who received a letter from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) telling TSU not to allow an event called “Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week” to take place at TSU.
Turns out that Jessica never planned the event and had no idea what the ADC or the TSU president were talking about. No matter. When she denied that she was planning to host Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week at TSU, the administration didn’t believe her. They asked her to submit a written statement and to contact the David Horowitz Freedom Center to have her group’s name removed from the list of participants. When Jessica agreed to submit such a statement to the university newspaper, the editors failed to print it. The result? Continuous calls and emails from anonymous persons asking her why she was hosting such an “offensive” event and demands not to continue the planning.
Jessica has repeatedly contacted university officials and reporters at the newspaper, but has not been able to put an end to the constant questioning and intimidation tactics. The university, which was apparently frightened by the ADC’s letter, might just be looking for a scapegoat so they can appease the Saudi-funded ADC and avoid criticism of the university. TSU is making sure the community knows that it does not support the event, but is doing nothing to reassure the ADC or the campus community that Jessica is not planning the event in question.
Jessica told me that the tone and nature of the administration’s questions were accusatory and clearly intended to make sure she didn’t even think about holding such an event. Even if Jessica’s group decided to do such an event (which I personally support) the university should not infringe upon the right of campus groups to express their opinions on Islam or terrorism. Instead of bowing to a pressure group that has expressed sympathy for suicide bombers, TSU should stand up for the rights of its campus leaders. If you’d like to send an email to the president of TSU, Denise Trauth, here is her email address: president@txstate.edu Ask her why she is bullying a student group that hasn’t done anything wrong. And ask her what is wrong with showing films or hosting lectures that talk about the worldwide threat of Islamist terrorism.
I will be posting updates on this story as I get more information. In the mean time, you can find out more about Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week by visiting http://www.terrorismawareness.org/