THANK YOU, FIRE: My cute little university won’t let Matt Walsh of “What is a Woman?” fame speak on campus. According to FIRE’s letter to University of San Diego president James Harris, USD’s College Republicans sought to bring in Walsh as a speaker, but were told by the Director of Student Activities and Involvement that Walsh’s views are “transphobic,” “offensive,” and would make USD students feel “unsafe,” “not comfortable,” and “offended and hurt.” Later, the Vice President for Student Life confirmed that USD would not allow Walsh to speak on campus, stating that “all guest speakers … [must] engage in perspectives in a manner consistent with USD’s mission and core values” and that Walsh was “very disrespectful” and “grossly offensive.”
FIRE points out that USD claims to be a school that protects free speech. But this is hardly USD’s first offense against free expression. Over the last three or four years, there have been quite a few. This isn’t even the first one this summer. It’s a shame. This used to be a university.