On Wednesday, April 10, the DU Chapter of Turning Point USA held a meeting in the Daniels College of Business. The event was to review a film called “The Art Club” and the guest speaker was Erin Lee, who lives in Colorado. The film showcased issues involving the teaching of gender ideology in elementary public schools. 

The classroom was at its capacity, many were turned away and had to be in the hallway. I started the meeting and right away problems began. Protesters began pounding on desks and causing major disruptions where I had to stop numerous times during just my opening remarks. For the next two hours, it was difficult to impossible to hear the film. I also add some of the initial disruptions came from a member of the DU Faculty assigned to the DU Library. One would think that a member of the faculty would especially recognize the importance of free speech and expression. Apparently not.  

Before the meeting, a protestor made the following statements on Snapchat: 

• “…We plan to protest and disrupt the talk and screening of the anti-trans documentary by the speaker Erin Lee…”? 

• “…The aim is to disrupt the event by making a lot of noise and/or by holding signs with anti-hatred, trans-positive statements. Since there are a lot of us, we should be able to crowd out the room…” 

It is obvious from these statements and by what occurred on April 10, that respect for free speech was not going to happen. I also add the DU Policy on Speaker and Public Events, specifically Number PROV 2.30.080, dated July 9, 2021, which states in part “…The fact that speech may sometimes be offensive or even emotionally hurtful is not sufficient, alone, to justify interfering with the speaker’s right to engage in such expression…”  

There will always be disagreements on issues, but there is a right way and a wrong way to express those disagreements. I think the French Writer Voltaire (1694-1778) said it best “…I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will always defend your right to say it…”