Eliminating Extremism

In the wake of the Minuteman fiasco, there have been calls from all sides for rational debate. Rational debate does not include storming of stages, heckling, or violent confrontation; it involves a choice to listen and contemplate, and it involves honesty within discourse.

If we truly want rational debate on this campus, we must end rationalizations of violent extremism. Prior to their arrival on campus, the Republicans promoted the Minutemen as a neighborhood watchdog group, proactive citizens volunteering their own time to further a legitimate political goal. Common wisdom, on the other hand, betrays them as violent, racist vigilantes. Those on both the political left and right must acknowledge when a speaker lies on the fringes. If we admit that the Minutemen are not a legitimate voice in the debate on immigration, but instead an extremist voice that merely antagonizes and infuriates the position of President Bush, then perhaps we can proceed with a rational immigration debate on this campus. We do not oppose the freedom of extremist speakers, but neither do we support rationalizations that portray them as mainstream. The Republicans had a right to invite the Minutemen, but showed poor judgment in doing so. Such extremist voices of intolerance and racism do not further rational debate; they cause offense and destroy mutual respect.

Even before the event, the Republicans purposefully provoked other student groups, asking the Chicano Caucus to co-sponsor the Minuteman event. This was clearly an offensive proposition in light of Gilchrist's membership in the California Coalition for Immigration Reform, whose Web site declares the Chicano Student Movement to be a "scourge." Chris Kulawik tried to justify this insult by claiming that he thought the event would not be divisive ("Chicanos Prep Minutemen Protest," Oct. 2, 2006). The Columbia Republicans, however, have an unfortunate history of staging events meant to "promote discussion" while refusing to acknowledge the extreme views their events promote. This is the same group that has invited Senator Rick Santorum, who in a 2003 USA Today interview compared homosexuality to pedophilia and bestiality. Earlier this year, the Republicans also hosted a "global warming beach party," supposedly in response to Columbia's screening of An Inconvenient Truth, yet Kulawik told the Bwog, the blog of the Blue and White, that his club "has no official stance on global warming." These events point to a pattern of hosting divisive events that promote the far right agenda while pretending to support constructive debate. The Republicans cannot expect to plausibly disavow the views expressed by speakers whom they invite, advertise, and support.

We deeply oppose the attempts to refuse freedom of speech to Jim Gilchrist and would have been interested in hearing him speak. Luckily, however, he and his supporters were still given an opportunity to display their true character. Recently released Univision footage clearly depicts a Minuteman supporter kicking a student in the face. Are these the responsible neighborhood watchdogs the Republicans told us were coming? Anyone present at the event and or who has seen the footage would be foolish to believe such a rationalization.

If we can at least admit when voices are offensive, then we can accurately predict the amount of security needed at events. The video footage shows that many involved in the disruption and violence from both sides were not Columbia students. The Student Governing Board has a set of guidelines regarding non-student attendees and security, and we can avoid much of the disruptions that occurred at this event if we follow these guidelines and prevent outside troublemakers from entering. To call the Minutemen innocuous or tolerant is absurd. Even if the event wasn't intended to incite and inflame tensions, the event's organizers must have been aware that they were bringing provocative speakers to campus. They should have prepared better security, as they did when John Ashcroft visited last year. We hope that all of those responsible for the violence, especially the hosts of the event and those who stormed the stage, will issue apologies as a sign of respect and a step forward in political debate on this campus. This is an elite institution, and if we want to create a constructive debate on immigration, or on any other issues, it's about time we stopped promoting extremism and focused on reasonable and tolerant points of view.

The authors are Columbia College sophomores. Elyse Ross is the speakers coordinator for the College Democrats. Stephen Cox is a member of the College Democrats.