Fighting Back: Homogeneity And Free Speech In Utah
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By David R. Keller
Utah County is perhaps the reddest county in the reddest state of the union, and at its center is Utah Valley State College. So it was hardly surprising that the student government’s booking of a speaking engagement by filmmaker Michael Moore in fall 2004 sparked controversy. That UVSC does not strictly model its educational program on the normative standards of the surrounding community raises the ire of many citizens, who see UVSC’s proper identity as a mirror of the local “conservative” value system.
Many expressed shock at the apparent lack of authoritative oversight of student government. Some said the administration should intervene and cancel the event. An anonymously written memo turned up in some faculty boxes, arguing that all faculty should boycott the event.
Hoping some good could come out of the controversy, I organized a panel discussion and open public forum to discuss it. As the event began, I stood at the front of an auditorium and watched 300 people cram into a space with seating for 160 while the cameras, the camcorders, and a low-level murmur charged the air with anticipatory electricity. I thought to myself, “This is what college is all about—curiosity, conversation, commitment!”
Some of the parents attending the forum supported Moore’s visit, notwithstanding his work. A mother of three UVSC students—one of whom just spent a year in Iraq —stated, “I disagree with Moore’s ideas, but I’m glad he’s coming. Try not to go in there with all these preconceived ideas. Go in there with an open mind.”
The atmosphere really intensified when an outspoken critic of UVSC held up a cashier’s check for $25,000 and vowed to hand it over only if Moore’s invitation were rescinded, explaining, “I should not have to send my children to a private university [that is, Brigham Young University, which is part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints education system] to get a conservative education when I live in a conservative community and have a state college in my backyard that is paid for by conservative taxpayers and donors. A balanced education does not require that we teach our children to be so open minded that their brains fall out.”
He claimed that “the most liberal of the leftist liberals . . . are the people [whom] we in Utah County . . . were trying to keep out of here.” A student responded, to applause, “It’s important that we . . . remember that this state was founded by people [who] were chased out of town,” alluding to the history of persecution of Mormons in Illinois.
The activist who tried to buy the cancellation of the event later filed a lawsuit against UVSC, claiming procedural violations of policy. Defending his action, he said, “If you stand for something and speak your mind, people will try to shut you down,” sparking accusations of utter hypocrisy.
Although the lawsuit was subsequently dropped, the plaintiff’s contention that Utah County taxpayers who endeavor to inculcate conservative values in their children should not be paying “liberal” professors caused palpable unease on campus.
Also troubling, donors vociferously reversed pledges with symbolic flourish. Such actions are self-defeating, of course, because withholding funds only makes it more difficult for UVSC to serve democracy by fostering dialogue.
The controversy cut to the core of the role and responsibility of higher education in a pluralistic democracy, especially in homogeneous communities, and several lessons can be learned from the episode.
a. Student government is by definition the exercise of self-governance by students for educational purposes. Student government should not be a puppet regime of the executive office.
b. Usually apathetic student populations can become energized and engaged. Suddenly students were organizing protests, marching up and down the hallways of the student center with placards for and against Moore, voicing opinions at demonstrations, instigating petition drives, writing letters, and criticizing or defending their own student government.
c. Students can sort through complex social issues, and their autonomy should be respected. My students were offended by the notion that they needed to be protected and sheltered from a national public policy debate, stating that they were mature enough to sort through nuanced political issues and draw their own conclusions.
d. In multicultural societies, pluralism must be nurtured and affirmed. Democracy simply cannot function otherwise. “Conservatism” properly embraces the fundamental principles of liberal democracy: pluralism, dialogue, mutual respect, and civility.
The Moore incident demonstrates that public institutions of higher education must resist the temptation to capitulate to economic and political expediency. In open societies, the importance of colleges and universities is directly proportional to the homogeneity of the communities they serve, such as UVSC. In the end, Moore came, ranted, and left. The fabric of society was not noticeably ripped asunder, and Utah County voted overwhelmingly for Bush. Most important, though, the controversy fostered a healthy—if trying— exercise for a traditionally insular community in civic engagement.
David Keller is director of the Center for the Study of Ethics and associate professor of philosophy at Utah Valley State College.
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