While I appreciate the College Republicans for writing this article (notably anonymous, given the increasing thuggery of the Left) and the Stanford Review for publishing it, it is noteworthy that it had to be written at all, and that students had to be reminded that a “free exchange of ideas” is important. Universities and colleges all over the United States have become such radioactive wastelands of Leftist indoctrination that it is “controversial” to bring in to Stanford a speaker who opposes jihad terror and Sharia oppression, while there is no doubt whatsoever that a Guantanamo inmate screaming “Death to America” would be welcomed at Stanford and hailed as a hero.
Here are some questions for Stanford students who are enraged that I am coming to their campus:
I’m against throwing gays off tall buildings. You’re for that?
I’m against mowing down bike riders with a truck on a Manhattan bicycle path. Islamophobic?
I’m against mutilating girls’ genitals and justifying it by quoting Muhammad. Bigotry?
I’m against stabbing people while screaming “Allahu akbar.” And you’re against my speaking on campus?
I’m against murdering people enjoying a quiet dinner just because they’re Jewish. That murder is okay with you?
How did it come to this? Find out in my book Confessions of an Islamophobe, a full exposé of how the public discourse has become so morally inverted as to stigmatize opposition to jihad terror. Preorder your copy here now.
“Exclusive from the College Republicans: Why We Invited Robert Spencer,” Stanford Review, November 6, 2017:
…It is against this backdrop that the Stanford College Republicans have decided to invite Robert Spencer to campus. Mr. Spencer’s professional credentials are stellar. He has authored 16 books, including two New York Times best-sellers, and has led training seminars for the FBI, the US Army, and the Justice Department’s Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council. Mr. Spencer is the vice-president of the American Freedom Defense Initiative, and has been tracking radical Islamic terrorism on his website, Jihad Watch, since 2003.
Mr. Spencer’s central assertion is that jihadist groups are inspired to commit acts of violence against unbelievers by passages in the Quran and Hadiths that exhort believers to do so. Time and time again, Mr. Spencer has made his theological arguments thoughtfully, backing them up with plenty of evidence from Islamic texts, history, and the actions of modern-day radical Islamic terrorists.
We have invited Robert Spencer to campus to add a sorely needed perspective to an important conversation about international security. Moreover, our hope is, above all, to ignite a spirited discussion. Those who take issue with the views Mr. Spencer espouses should feel free to confront him pointedly, but respectfully. Our event has an hour of built-in time solely for Q & A. We anticipate that event attendees will use this time productively.
Lastly, we firmly reject any and all attempts to undermine this event. We reject all attempts to curtail freedom of speech on this campus, especially with respect to an issue as salient as international security. Furthermore, we will not let the fact that some students take exception to Mr. Spencer’s views stop us from providing an important educational experience to the Stanford community, while also starting an important discussion. Throughout the years, the Stanford College Republicans have witnessed a parade of campus events with speakers invited by other political student organizations, paid for with student funds. On more than one occasion, some of these speakers have made claims that many Stanford students find repugnant and offensive. Nevertheless, we have never once taken any action to disrupt these events. We expect fair and reciprocal treatment. We also expect that Stanford will live up to its reputation as an intellectually challenging institution open to a free exchange of ideas.