The University of North Carolina-Asheville is defending a decision to host Women’s March co-president Tamika Mallory for a lecture, despite concerns of alleged anti-Semitism on her part. …
On one occasion, Mallory called black nationalist minister Louis Farrakhan “the GOAT,” or “greatest of all time” in a social media post, according to the New York Times. Farrakhan is the leader of the Nation of Islam. He has called Adolf Hitler a “very great man” and compared Jewish people to “termites” on Twitter. …
After concerns were presented to the university regarding Mallory’s troubling history with anti-Semitism, UNC-Asheville issued a “reminder” stating that the university is committed to free speech and open dialogue. …
Freeman Slaughter, vice president of UNC-Asheville College Republicans chapter, told Campus Reform that he believes the university is being hypocritical in inviting Mallory to be the keynote speaker.
“The Dean of Students, Jackie McHargue, stated in her commencement speech that ‘hate speech is not free speech,’” Slaughter said. “And I fail to see why this situation should be any different. Mallory is anti-Semitic and anti-Israel, but she’s being given a pass due to her work with the Women’s March.”
Slaughter agrees with the university that free speech is one of the most important rights but argues that does not mean that Mallory is free from the fallout of what she says and does.
“Personally, I think that UNC has made a poor political move with inviting Mallory, and urge them to reconsider,” Slaughter told Campus Reform. … “Imagine requesting a Neo-Nazi to speak on campus, and how much backlash that would incur?”
