The Haverford College Democrats have placed a series of flyers around campus, overtly critiquing Pat Buchanan’s coming appearance. We do not, as an organization, reject his right to speak. The First Amendment is smart; people draw strength and grow analytically when faced with oppositional viewpoints. Even silly things have the right to be uttered and countered. The ideological position of the College supports this, as it seeks to foster an environment of “trust, concern and respect” where a pluralism of ideas can engage in dialogue.
For dialogue to take place at all, we recognize that there must be basic rules. Free speech is not constituted either by yelling “Fire!” in a crowded theatre, nor by the use of language for violent ends. We recognize that dialogue no longer takes place when one party is silenced, dehumanized and denied agency. For the women, Jews, Blacks, homosexuals, immigrants and poor denied rights, enfranishment or agency under Buchanan’s politics, this is not a parlor debate. The ability to freely exchange speech requires that there is a basic equality amongst participants. We don’t believe that Buchanan respects or allows this equality.
There will be students who disagree with this critique, and it is their right to seek out Buchanan’s views and speak in their own voices, as long as they don’t violate the rights of others. We believe that the College, which institutionalizes equality and plurality, has an equal right not to pay someone to come to Haverford who is racist, xenophobic, misogynistic and anti-semitic. In politics, money speaks with the loudest voice of endorsement. We might tolerate the opponent, but that toleration does not require that we write her a check.
Pat Buchanan is not an opponent of this College because of his position as a conservative pundit in opposition to Haverford’s liberal majority. His historical use of hate speech, his bigoted remarks on a variety of subjects, and his violent revision of history—including the Holocaust—oppose him to all respectful dialogue. Haverford’s respect for freedom of speech means he ought to be allowed to speak; Haverford’s supposed respect for dignity and empowerment makes cutting him a check hypocritical and cowardly.
Pat Buchanan is coming to speak at 7:30 pm on Sunday, March 26th—anyone with an interest should attend. Haverford College has paid $20,000 to have him come, and we ought not waste such money through poor attendance.
-Emma Rodman
Bush is finally starting to cave to months of GOP pressures to shake up his inner circle. Today, he accepted Andrew Card's resignation as Chief of Staff. Talk about a storm-worn ship limping back to port. Mr. Card is "returning to private life" after taking it heavily on Dubai Ports World and Hurricane Katrina, not to mention the four-letter-word problem in the Persian Gulf.
