Truman State University could have had a public relations nightmare on its hands Thursday night when the student Republican group tested tolerance levels by inviting Robert Spencer to speak.
Spencer is considered anti-Muslim, as he promotes incidents that portray Islam as the radical face of terrorism while ignoring far greater numbers of Muslims who practice their faith in peace.
But the campus wisely arranged for Faizan Syed, the executive director of the Missouri chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, to speak as well. The vast majority of students who attended wore white in solidarity with peaceful dialogue.
“It was a very civil night,” Syed, of St. Louis, said. “We need to do much more of this.”
Read Full Article: http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article144749574.html
To present a different perspective -- the Muslim Students Association invited Faizan Syed.
He's the director of the Council on American-Islam Relations in Missouri.
Syed presented a history of the Muslim faith and culture -- and reminded the room of the country's history of singling out a certain group of faith to be critical of, while Spencer addressed several examples of why people need to be concerned about Islamic terrorists.
Read Full Article: http://ktvo.com/news/local/controversial-speaker-draws-large-crowd-at-college
Truman State spokesman Travis Miles said the university was hoping to create an essay contest and develop “an educational experience” based on the two speeches.
Speaking first will be Faizan Syed, the executive director of the Missouri chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Following him will be Spencer, who has defended himself on his website, writing that if “I am ‘anti-Muslim,’ then foes of the Nazis were ‘anti-German.'”
The College Republicans, which received about $3,000 to bring Spencer to campus from a student committee that allocates funding to student groups, said on Facebook that “unsafe practices will not be tolerated.” The Muslim Student Association also urged calm, requesting that there be no “disruptive protests.”
Read Full Article: http://molawyersmedia.com/2017/04/13/missouri-college-prepares-to-host-divisive-speaker-2/
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — The line between free speech and hate speech has become the balance beam that universities across the country have had to tiptoe along for months.
Controversial speakers have sparked protests, some violent, at colleges large and small.
The line is under scrutiny again this week, this time, here in the Heartland.Robert Spencer runs the website "Jihad Watch" and has written 16 books on Islam -- titles including, ‘The Complete Infidel's Guide to ISIS,’ ‘Islam Unveiled: Disturbing Questions About the World's Fastest Growing Faith,’ ‘The Myth of Islamic Tolerance: How Islamic Law Treats Non-Muslims,’ and ‘Religion of Peace?
Read Full Article: http://ktvo.com/news/local/controversial-figure-to-speak-at-local-college