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Ann Coulter, the controversial conservative columnist, author and speaker is coming to Loyola, in case you haven't heard.
A month before she is scheduled to speak at Loyola, her appearance is sparking controversy and debate among students. The College Republicans are hosting Coulter Thursday, March 23.
The debate over Coulter's appearance, as well as free speech versus hate speech, has been discussed around campus in the form of posters, petitions, Facebook messages, casual discussions and even Unified Student Government legislation.
USG voted Tuesday on a resolution to rescind its previous decision to allocate funds from the Student Activity Fund to pay for Coulter to speak at Loyola. The resolution did not pass, but debate on the issue went on for more than an hour, with heated arguments from both sides.
Coulter is the author of such books as "How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)" and "Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism." At present, her Loyola speech is "Liberal Lies about the American Right."
Her expressed opinions toward homosexuals, Muslims and feminists have created much controversy across thenation and at college campuses.
The racist and sexist language that Coulter sometimes uses in her speeches and writing causes almost continual controversy. She has referred to people of Middle Eastern descent as "ragheads" and "brown boys." At a speech at Indiana University on Thursday, Feb. 23, she referred to a student who asked a question after the speech as "gay boy."
Sophomore Tom Jacks, a representative in USG's financial committee that allocates funding from the student activities fund, USGAC (Unified Student Government Allocation Committee), said that its approval in November to fund Coulter's appearance from the Student Activity Fund was granted easily and at the time, was not very controversial. This is the second year that funding decisions have required approval from the Unified Student Government Senate, not just the USGAC committee.
According to USG, College Republicans were given $22,500 for the event, $18,000 of which is directly paid to Coulter as a speaker fee. The Young American Foundation is covering the rest of the cost of the event.
"I am for free speech but Ann Coulter is a racist, sexist bigot and I don't want my money used to bring her here," junior Atheni Aishel, USG vice president of public relations, said. Aishel co-sponsored the USG resolution and an online petition against Coulter's appearance. In 48 hours, more than 704 signatures were collected on Aishel's petition.
Junior Laszlo Varju, chairman of College Republicans, said that the debate at the meeting over Ann Coulter's appearance was excessive.
"I think it's good that we have dialogue, but the time for debate came and went," Varju said.
Junior April Braden, vice president of College Democrats, said she was appalled to hear that legislation was introduced in an attempt to ban Coulter from speaking. She said that USG should recognize that it is a student's own responsibility to evaluate Coulter's opinions, and she should not be prevented from speaking.
"Trying to ban her not only is disrespectful to the College Republicans, but also to the student body," Braden said. "Loyola has always tried to bring diversity to this campus, and just because some people do not like what Ann Coulter has to say - myself included - does not mean that she should be banned from our campus."
College Republicans said concerns about Coulter should have been brought up earlier.
"If someone had a problem it should have been addressed earlier," senior Sean Murphy, vice president of College Republicans, said. "Now, when we are finishing preparing for the event, is not the time for this."
Other students have decided to voice their opinions through personal action. Junior Michael Nowak said he posted fliers around campus to raise awareness of Coulter's views. The papers display a picture of Coulter speaking and some of her quotes. Nowak put posters up in Mundelein Center, Dumbach Hall and Cudahy Science.
Nowak feels that banning Coulter from speaking is a decision that Loyola should seriously consider.
"I think there is a difference between supporting freedom of speech and hate speech," Nowak said. "Where do we draw the line?"
At the University of Connecticut last semester, Coulter walked off stage in the middle of her speech because of the crowd disturbances. At the University of Arizona, two students were arrested for throwing pies at Coulter during her speech.
"I put Loyola students at a higher standard than throwing pies … but something could happen to damage Loyola," Nowak said. "This decision is going to reflect poorly on College Republicans, as well it should."
Murphy agreed that Loyola students should be held to a higher standard.
"Personally, I'd like to think more of Loyola [students]," he said. "Plan for the worst, hope for the best … Let's be big boys and girls about this."
Loyola Dean of Students Jane Neufeld hopes that students seeking to get their voice out will choose to go through the proper channels and act responsibly.
"We want to encourage free speech," Neufeld said. "If people are interested in demonstrating, that is a possibility as long as they follow the guidelines in the student handbook and fill out the proper paperwork. Loyola will work with organizations to make sure they know their responsibilities."
Murphy said that the members of College Republicans "are not losing sleep" over the posters or the controversy on campus because they expected it.
Senior Jacob Boesch, president of College Democrats, said that the Ann Coulter posters were not from his organization.
"As an organization, we see [Coulter] as the type of person who is looking for controversy," Boesch said. "Her speaking here is a non-issue because her work speaks for itself."
The language and emotions surrounding Coulter are what Neufeld wants to address.
"We can handle a demonstration," Neufeld said. "I am more concerned with the emotional response that could come from this."
Free speech is an issue that concerns students. Nowak, Boesch and Braden emphasized that attempts to stage the question and answer session planned after Coulter's speech are not acceptable in their eyes.
Murphy emphasized that College Republicans wanted to make a deal with College Democrats to provide a chance to hear various voices and opinions at the speech. Murphy met with Boesch Tuesday to discuss his plan to make the event "bipartisan." His proposal was to present Coulter with four pre-planned questions, two from College Republicans and two from College Democrats.
The deal was unanimously rejected in a vote by the College Democrats. Instead, the group asked that their two questions be given to the student body.
"We're not against the idea of her speaking," Boesch said. "We just feel that some of her past statements are blatently offensive and tactless. We don't want to give the impression that we support hate speech."
Murphy felt that College Democrats rejection of this proposal hurt the ability to make this event bipartisan.
"We extended an olive branch of peace and pitched this idea," Murphy said. "They said no dice and rejected the idea of making this event bipartisan."
Murphy believes that students should be open to dialogue and other opinions about Coulter.
"If Loyolans can act like they can respectfully disagree, we can have a civil dialogue," Murphy said. "If this event goes well, it says something great about Loyola. Ann Coulter is not going to incite violence."
Neufeld said she wants to make sure that the likely protest situation does not get out of hand.
"We will be prepared for anything that happens that night," she said. "I fully expect a demonstration and we will be prepared. We want to make sure we facilitate discussion without violence."
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