Students For Academic Freedom

David Horowitz Assaulted During Speech at Butler University · 07 April 2005

Students for Academic Freedom
April 07, 2005

David Horowitz Assaulted During Speech at Butler University
Intellectual Diversity Under Attack On Nation's Campuses

David Horowitz, the chairman of Students for Academic Freedom, was attacked at the podium last night during a speech at Butler University in Indiana by a group of assailants who shoved a pie in his face at the start of his speech.

The first signs of trouble were evident when a group of individuals entered the lecture hall with a large peace banner. Another individual then ran across the front of the room and shoved a chocolate cream pie directly in Mr. Horowitz's face. After running out of the room, members of the group yelled racial epithets at a conservative African American professor in attendance.

The attack on Horowitz follows an a string of similar incidents in which William "Bill" Kristol, editor of the conservative Weekly Standard, was attacked with a pie at Earlham College during a speech on March 30th and conservative writer and former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan was doused in salad dressing during a speech at Western Michigan University on March 31st.

Other recent incidents reveal a pattern of intolerance towards dissenting views on campus. This past fall, a law student at the University of Colorado was told by his professor that the "R" in Republican stands for "Racist" and an English professor at California State University-Long Beach refused to let his class write on topics such as abortion or prayer in public schools in a politically-themed "argument paper" because in his view there is "no other side apart from chauvinistic, religious, or bigoted opinions and pseudo-science" on these issues.

"These incidents are indicative of a climate of intense hostility toward intellectual diversity and free speech on campus," said Sara Dogan, National Campus Director of Students for Academic Freedom. "We hold responsible not only the individuals involved in the assault last night but university administrations across the country who have created an atmosphere in which violent reactions to dissenting views are tolerated which encourages further acts of obstruction against campus speakers."

David Horowitz commented, "It is ironic that these assailants tried to prevent me from delivering a lecture on the need for greater tolerance and respect for dissenting opinions in the academic community. This assault is simply one more indication of why we need an Academic Bill of Rights to restore civility and free intellectual discourse to our university campuses."

"This is the first time that I have felt uncomfortable on the campus at Butler University," said Carl Heck, State Chairman of the Indiana Federation of College Republicans and a senior at Butler University. "It is a sad day, when students and guests of these universities have to put up with such deplorable acts. All Indiana universities, private and public, need to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for the obstruction of campus speakers."

Students for Academic Freedom is an organization with chapters on 150 college campuses that is leading the charge for an Academic Bill of Rights to protect intellectual diversity and academic freedom on America's college campuses. Legislation inspired by the Academic Bill of Rights has been introduced in over 20 states, including Indiana.

For more information please contact Elizabeth Ruiz at 800-752-6562, extension 202 or Elizabeth@cspc.org.

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