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NYU Surrenders to the Heckler鈥檚 Veto in Mohammed Cartoon Dispute
NEW YORK, March 29, 2006鈥擨n violation of its own policies, New York University (NYU) is refusing to allow a student group to show the Danish cartoons of Mohammed at a public event tonight. Even though the purpose of the event is to show and discuss the cartoons, an administrator has suddenly ordered the students either not to display them or to exclude 150 off-campus guests from attending. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (果冻传媒app官方) is urging NYU鈥檚 president to reverse course and stand up for freedom of speech.
鈥淣YU鈥檚 actions are inexcusable,鈥 declared FIREPresident Greg Lukianoff, who is slated to speak at the event. 鈥淭he very purpose of this event is to discuss the cartoons that are at the center of a global controversy. To say that students cannot show them if they wish to engage anyone outside the NYU community is both chilling and absurd. The fact that expression might provoke a strong reaction is a reason to protect it, not an excuse to punish it.鈥
Earlier this month, the NYU Objectivist Club decided to hold a entitled 鈥淔ree Speech and the Danish Cartoons,鈥 at which the cartoons will be displayed. Similar events, sponsored by the (ARI), have taken place on several other campuses. Like previous NYU Objectivist Club events, the discussion was to be open to the public.
However, on Monday afternoon, NYU Director of Student Activities Robert Butler sent an e-mail requesting a meeting with the leaders of the Objectivist Club the next day. He also informed them that NYU would now 鈥渞equire that this event be open only to members of the NYU community.鈥 Butler cited 鈥渢he campus climate and controversy surrounding the cartoons,鈥 ordering the students to inform the 鈥渘on-NYU people鈥 who had already registered that they 鈥渟hould not plan on attending.鈥 He concluded, 鈥淭his is not negotiable.鈥
Following the meeting, Butler sent another e-mail clarifying that the students have two choices: they must either not display the cartoons, or not allow anyone from off campus to attend the event. Approximately 150 off-campus guests are currently registered to attend.
鈥淭his is a classic case of the heckler鈥檚 veto,鈥 noted 果冻传媒app官方鈥檚 Lukianoff. 鈥淣YU is shamelessly clamping down on an event purely out of fear that people who disagree with the viewpoints expressed may disrupt it. These immoral, last-minute restrictions must be lifted.鈥
FIRE was informed of NYU鈥檚 actions just yesterday. Hours later, Lukianoff called NYU President John Sexton to remind him that NYU鈥檚 own policies recognize student groups鈥 right to open events to the public and proclaim that 鈥渢he use of physical force or other disruptive means to obstruct and restrain speakers鈥 is 鈥渄estructive of the pursuit of inquiry and learning in a free and democratic society.鈥 FIREhas not yet received a response.
NYU鈥檚 actions notwithstanding, Lukianoff still plans to speak at the event, which will take place at 7 p.m. tonight in the Eisner and Lubin Auditorium of NYU鈥檚 Kimmel Center.
FIRE is a nonprofit educational foundation that unites civil rights and civil liberties leaders, scholars, journalists, and public intellectuals from across the political and ideological spectrum on behalf of individual rights, due process, freedom of expression, academic freedom, and rights of conscience at our nation鈥檚 colleges and universities.
CONTACT:
Greg Lukianoff, President, 果冻传媒app官方: 215-717-3473; greg_lukianoff@thefire.org
Yaron Brook, President, ARI: 408-206-7756; ybrook@aynrand.org
John Sexton, President, NYU: 212-998-2345; john.sexton@nyu.edu
Robert Butler, Director of Student Activities, NYU: 212-998-4718; bob.butler@nyu.edu
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