Catholic university denies Matt Walsh speaking opportunity.
The University of San Diego Denies Request to Bring Conservative Speaker to Campus
The University of San Diego has recently made headlines after blocking a request from the college Republicans to invite Daily Wire host Matt Walsh to speak on campus. This decision came after members of the student government labeled Walsh’s beliefs as “grossly offensive.”
The USD College Republicans had hoped to bring Walsh, a prominent conservative figure, to the private Catholic university. However, their request was denied by both campus administrators and the student government. According to the New Guard, a publication of the Young America’s Foundation, the student government unanimously voted against approving an event with Walsh.
Interestingly, while the council rejected the funding for Walsh’s event, they have previously approved events featuring left-wing speakers such as Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrice Cullors and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA). It is worth noting that Schiff’s support for abortion contradicts Catholic teachings on the sanctity of life.
Alyssa Jackson, the President of the USD College Republicans, expressed her disappointment with the decision, stating, “I feel as though conservatives and Catholics are discriminated against for simply holding onto their religious beliefs. We hope that we can still bring Matt Walsh to voice conservative beliefs on campus, which are heavily underrepresented. We face discrimination from professors and peers every day for our values, and we believe that Matt would be a strong advocate for our cause.”
Jackson later met with USD administrators, who informed her that Walsh’s views, despite being a Catholic himself, are not in line with Catholic Social Teaching and are considered “grossly offensive.”
Assistant Vice President for Student Life, Byron Howlett, defended the university’s decision, stating, “The university is in full support of freedom of expression and freedom of inquiry… that’s the basis of a university. But it’s also a delicate balancing act because we have a duty to protect our community members as well. In this case, that usurps that freedom of inquiry and freedom of expression.”
Student senator Isabella Sevilla echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing the Catholic faith when allocating funding. “As a Catholic institution, I do think that it is one of the most important things that we hold our Catholic faith first, and if he does not align with the values of the Catholic Church, then that is something we should consider regarding allocating funding,” she said.
In response to the university’s decision, the USD College Republicans took to Instagram, urging their followers to email USD and show support for freedom of speech and diversity of opinions on campus.
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