At the U, a record of upholding free speech, and dissent

Civility and safety, even amid protest, have been the rule.

By Daniel McDonald

May 12, 2017 at 11:34PM
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iStockphoto.com (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

As current chair of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association, I read with great interest John Kass' May 2 commentary, "How the left is silencing free speech" on campuses.

One might conclude, based on national news coverage, that the First Amendment has taken some hits on college campuses in recent years. I am pleased to note, however, that my personal experiences attending speeches on the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota give alumni and all Minnesotans good reason to be proud of the way free speech is protected at the U.

For example, I had the privilege of attending several in a series of Stein Lectures endowed by my former University of Minnesota Law School dean, Robert A. Stein (Class of 1961). The lectures have featured noted speakers across the political spectrum.

I brought one of my children to Northrop Auditorium in October of 2015 to hear the late Justice Antonin Scalia defend "originalist" interpretation of the U.S. Constitution in the face of challenging questions posed by eager law students and others. That opportunity carries even more meaning for us now that Justice Scalia has passed away.

We also had the privilege of seeing the university welcome a visit by Justice Sonia Sotomayor last fall as part of that same Stein Lectures series.

While the justices may have had philosophical views that differed in some ways, I was proud to see our great university welcome both of them with open arms, even while engaging in vigorous debate.

I also had the opportunity to attend former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's speech at Northrop in 2014, sponsored by the Distinguished Carlson Lecture Series. That speech elicited some protests, which should also be embraced pursuant to free speech rights.

But others called for cancellation of that speech, which in my view flies in the face of the rigorous intellectual debate and discourse that I expect to be a hallmark of our great university. Fortunately, in that situation the university found a way to respect free speech and provide a safe environment both for those who wanted to hear Rice speak and those who wished to protest her views.

Despite the emotion surrounding the event, I was comfortable bringing one of my children to witness yet another speech by someone who shaped history. I felt proud that President Kaler and our university stood firm to uphold free speech principles. I also felt proud to live in a state where people find a way to respect those with opposing views.

Recent events at other universities may suggest that such exemplary protection of free speech cannot be taken for granted. I hope all Minnesotans share my pride in and support for the university's ability to balance free speech and campus safety in the examples I provide.

But if you don't, I respect your right to feel differently.

Daniel McDonald is chair of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association.

about the writer

about the writer

Daniel McDonald