WSU and UW are right to allow controversial speaker

In January, a controversial speaker — Milo Yiannopoulos, a provocateur and editor of the Breitbart News Network who has been banned from Twitter for racism and misogyny — will be appearing at Washington State University in Pullman and then at the University of Washington in Seattle.

A lot of folks are upset. And they have appealed to the universities’ presidents to ban Yiannopoulos’ appearances.

WSU President Kirk Schulz and UW President Ana Mari Cauce have wisely and appropriately responded by citing the importance of free speech — particularly on college campuses.

Free speech, by its nature, can be very uncomfortable. It means allowing people to express ideas with which we might strongly disagree or even find repugnant.

But it also affords the opportunity to debate or denounce those ideas.

In the end, allowing the free exchange of ideas will benefit society as ugly, festering speech can be exposed to light and thus disinfected.

It’s a process. The full vetting of thoughts and ideas can take time. It can be emotional, disruptive and even hurtful. Yet, it’s a major reason this nation remains strong after 240 years.

We find Yiannopoulos’ views horrific. We strongly believe his thoughts are contemptible and must be rejected.

According to The Seattle Times, Yiannopoulos, who is gay, uses a homophobic slur in the title of his college speaking tour. In addition, he has attacked specific college professors with personal insults, and described as a myth the “rape culture” on college campuses.

In an interview with The Times, the WSU president said universities can’t allow some speakers on campus but reject others based on their views.

“Universities are free-speech areas, and whether I agree or disagree with his comments, he needs to have the ability to come on campus and articulate his particular views,” Schulz said. “But it’s going to be contentious, and his message is pretty divisive and I think we’re very concerned about the effect that’s going to have on the campus community.”

At the UW, its spokesman Norm Arkans refers those who want Yiannopoulos’ speech canceled to what the UW president wrote in August on her blog.

“A university should — indeed it must — be a place where any policy or idea, even if offensive or outrageous, can be aired, discussed, examined and debated,” Cauce wrote. “That’s a cornerstone of our democratic system, and the University of Washington’s commitment to this ideal is rock solid.”

Both presidents are right. Colleges (or the government) should not pick and choose who gets a say. Everybody should get a say.

In this case, after Yiannopoulos speaks those who disagree can — and should — denounce his abhorrent views in civil debate.

This story was originally published December 27, 2016 at 4:46 AM with the headline "WSU and UW are right to allow controversial speaker."