E-mail from California State University, Chico's new President to the University's staff and faculty (it will probably be in the student announcements also):

On April 22, the campus was visited by an individual who was provided space in the BMU to offer his neo-Nazi views denying the Holocaust and to deliver other ahistorical and anti-Semitic messages. It’s important to note that he was not sponsored by anyone or any group on the campus, just permitted to rent a room. Nevertheless, his visit challenges us to examine our values and policies regarding free speech and expression.

Through resolutions of the Academic Senate, our University has affirmed in no uncertain terms that freedom of expression is encouraged and fostered here as an indispensable aspect of academic debate. In so doing, we have declared that the First Amendment and free speech issues are at the core of our identity as an American university. Consequently, we seek to create and sustain a campus environment that supports free speech and open inquiry for all. We do not practice censorship of thought or word, or impose bans on speech and expression.

Some might ask, though, whether there’s a limit to this affirmation, especially when the words are so venomous and hate-filled that they deeply distress our sensibilities and cause anguish to members of our community.

My answer to this is simple: we must defeat hate, not simply ban it.

Yes, we are obligated, both morally and intellectually, I believe, to oppose hatred and intolerance. But we do so from the strength of our own right rules of conduct, our own morality so to speak. And fundamentally this rests upon reason and respect. These values demand the thoughtful analysis of issues, a careful balance of premise and conclusion, and an honest acknowledgment of the limits of rational exploration. Imperfect as this process may be, it compels us to engage different viewpoints and to recognize the flawed bases of prejudice and other behaviors that depend upon ignorance and intimidation to exist.

We defeat hatred through suasion and conscience, not censorship and coercion. We defeat hatred by recognizing it and confronting it.

Last week, members of our University did exactly this. They did not interfere with our visitor’s right to express his views. But they mustered arguments and evidence to contest them. And they prevailed in two clear ways. First, they so effectively discredited his message that the few people in attendance, including representation of the local press, judged the message to be devoid of credibility. Second, they raised awareness about the motivations behind the message itself and, just as importantly, signaled that we are a community that will not sit in silence when we are visited with lies and threats. I applaud their means, their message, and their example.

Paul J. Zingg President

For all of the praise that the last univerisity president received (I think mostly because he managed to not piss too many people off) this email is more thoughtful than anything Manny ever came up with. I wonder if Paul wrote it himself...