The University of Utah has a big problem. It’s the same problem facing American universities across the United States. Radical left-wing students are shutting down events, meetings, and conversations across campus. They specifically target conservative speakers, even where the views expressed represent mainstream beliefs anywhere outside of a college campus. In practice, this means that libertarian, conservative, and even centrist groups are not safe to express their views, hold rallies, invite speakers, or show films about social issues like gender identity or the recent atrocities in Israel. Activists are uninterested in the rights of others to express their views, and violently hostile to reasoned debate on the issues of the day.
Thankfully, there are still conservative groups at the University of Utah. One such group is the school’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF). Through speaker events, educational film viewings, and student rallies, YAF’s student members are trying to put their ideals into practice. Ideals such as a traditional approach to transgender policy, support of Israel’s right of self-defense, and a generally limited role of government in people’s lives.
Of course, far-left students have not met YAF’s ideas with reasoned attempts at respectful disagreement, but with “shout downs” and other mob-like reactions, aimed at nothing more than censoring the speech of those with whom they disagree. Student radicals are making it impossible for anyone (including, most tragically, themselves!) to learn or expand their intellectual horizons in any way.
These mob reactions violate school policies and are nothing more than a “heckler’s veto,” meant to destroy the free speech rights of others. Sadly, while the University of Utah recognizes that such tactics violate school policies, it is too timid to actually do anything to support the First Amendment rights of YAF. University security has refused to enforce the rules against disrupting others’ free speech, and has allowed the situation to get out of hand, creating not only a free speech dead zone, but also allowing threats and intimidation to flourish on campus.
Mountain States Legal Foundation will not let this stand. Today, we sent a letter to the University of Utah demanding that its security services enforce the rules against disruptive and dangerous mob actions by left-wing extremists who are intent on shutting down the free speech of others. We also demand that the university respect the First Amendment by ensuring that YAF can have its events on campus. Unless and until radical censorship is actually addressed and eliminated, it is impossible for colleges to fulfill their role in fostering learning and genuine education. Mountain States supports YAF’s right—and the rights of every student and group—to freely engage in speech.