“Students Against War” Doesn’t Protect Free Speech; Our Military Does
By Young America's Foundation April 14, 2006
HERNDON, VA – Tuesday’s harassment of military personnel at the University of California - Santa Cruz is nothing new on that campus. On October 18, 2005, the campus group “Students Against War,” with faculty support, organized a “queer kiss-in” directly in front of recruiter tables during the job fair, blocking military access to students. The protesters held signs and wore shirts that said “F*** the Military,” “Homophobes, Sexists, Racists – Get Out!” “Hate-Free Campus,” “College not Combat,” and “Free Palestine."
UC-Santa Cruz officials knew about Tuesday’s protest plans for weeks, but they still did not take sufficient steps to ensure that students have a clear passageway to a military recruiter’s table. Members of “Students Against War” blocked other students from entering the private room that was set up for the campus community to speak with the recruiters. The recruiters, who allege that their car tires were slashed, packed up their table when leftist students blocking the door became violent.
“The University of California - Santa Cruz is a disgrace to higher education,” says Young America’s Foundation Spokesman Jason Mattera. “The school should lose all federal funding; the University’s campus provost and executive vice chancellor, David Kliger, should be fired, and every leftist student that prevented other students from speaking to recruiters should be expelled. No exceptions. Liberals cannot claim to defend freedom of speech while they vilify the very institution that exists to defend that freedom.”
