Tonight's Speech At GWU Provokes National Controversy

WASHINGTON - Oct. 21, 2016 - PRLog -- The national tour of the "Dangerous Faggot" hits George Washington University tonight despite efforts to require that he first pledge "to abstain from hate speech," even though many universities have banned his appearances, notes Inside Higher Ed [IHE] this morning.

        Where he hasn't been banned from a campus, students objecting to his views about women, gays, and many other groups have disrupted his appearance and made it impossible for him to speak, but tonight at least twelve special security officers will be present in hopes of maintaining order, says GWU law professor John Banzhaf.

        There had been a suggestion that Milo "Yiannopoulos should be allowed to come to GW, but he shouldn't be allowed to target minorities within our student population. Before Yiannopoulos comes, he should assure students and administrators that he will not actively engage in hate speech at GW."

        Banzhaf labeled this an ingenious attempted end-run around the free speech guaranteed by GWU to all students and speakers, designed to avoid adverse publicity from cancelling a speaker outright, but still muzzling him from saying anything which any group on campus might object to.

        Yiannopoulos said "the left uses the term 'hate speech' to fight any speech they don't care for. The students trying to control free speech at George Washington University should grow up."

        Although Yiannopoulos will be allowed to speak,  attendance - once open to the public - has now been restricted to GWU students only, in part for security concerns, says Banzhaf.

        Here's how IHE explains GWU's legal obligations: "'Those who oppose his right to speak on campus -- it's a novel PC convention,' said John Banzhaf, professor of public interest law at GW.  The First Amendment protects Yiannopoulos's right to speak at universities, even if that includes hate speech, Banzhaf said. Speech is only illegal under a specific circumstance: if it is deliberately meant to incite immediate harm. Public universities are bound to follow First Amendment law, and private universities often have free speech policies in place. At GW, which is private, rules on student-sponsored forums are included in the Guide to Student Rights and Responsibilities."

        Yiannopoulos will speak tonight from 7-9 PM at the Elliott School Auditorium, 1957 E St. NW, DC 20052.  The event is sponsored by the GWU College Republicans and GW Students Against PC Culture.

        Banzhaf says he plans to attend, but only to help assure that the free speech and academic freedom rights of the students are in fact protected.

JOHN F. BANZHAF III, B.S.E.E., J.D., Sc.D.
Professor of Public Interest Law
George Washington University Law School,
FAMRI Dr. William Cahan Distinguished Professor,
Fellow, World Technology Network,
Founder, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
2000 H Street, NW, Wash, DC 20052, USA
(202) 994-7229 // (703) 527-8418
http://banzhaf.net/  jbanzhafATgmail.com  @profbanzhaf