Many public universities enjoy a sense of diversity that enriches campus culture and fosters a sense of community among peers. A breach of this sentiment occurred this past week. Organizations that foster hate speech often endanger students and lead to unsafe learning environments. The University of South Carolina saw a student organization inviting the extremist, conservative group, the Proud Boys, to campus property Sept. 18. The event, hosted by Uncensored America, featured Gavin McCinnes, the founder of the Proud Boys.
According to the South Carolina Daily Gazette, the USC event was categorized under “free speech.” This sparks a larger discussion of what “free speech” for college students means on campuses. It is difficult to create platforms for organizations that openly spread hate through extremist ideologies.
After all, the event at USC was a “roast” of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, that involved crude sexual language intentionally omitted from multiple news sources. This is a worrying problem for many public universities, especially considering the enduring presence of hate-fueled violence in the United States.
Members of the Proud Boys have engaged in “violent tactics” and many “have been convicted of violent crimes,” according to the Anti-Defamation League. This shows USC students where the priorities of their university lie, especially in protecting students’ well-being. When a public institution is funded by student tuition and federal aid, it should be the students who are first prioritized, not the hateful organizations that they have created on campus.
During the Jan. 6 insurrection on the U.S. Capitol, the Proud Boys made up the highest number of extremist arrestees. This group has violated the Constitutional principles rooted in the freedom of speech USC is using to defend it. It is no coincidence that a double standard for right-wing extremists and public advocates has been practiced on this campus. Uncensored America was allowed to welcome extremists onto its campus, while the calls from the Association of African American Students to cancel or move the event went largely unnoticed.
Above anything, student safety on campus must be a priority. Individuals can raise awareness for their own enterprises. However, these groups are considered terrorist organizations by other countries such as Canada and New Zealand, according to The Guardian. Free speech that stokes the fires of hate and division is not truly “free” at all. There is a price to be paid by college students when their safety is endangered by such extremist right-wing organizations.
Groups such as Individuals Respecting Identities and Sexualities have said that “the university has made its position clear.” In taking no action, USC defined its complacency in promoting hate speech on its campus, according to the university’s independent newspaper, the Daily Gamecock. In a country facing a reckoning with its violent history, the hosting of the Proud Boys only solidifies the dangers that are still present in America.
Many student group leaders on-campus were outraged by the lack of initiative in dealing with Uncensored America. There are those who are fighting for student safety on USC’s campus. It is important to understand that this issue is not relegated solely to USC, or even the Southern U.S. Universities across the country have grappled with acts of student protests on both sides of a wide political spectrum. For example, the Pro-Palestine protests during the past year were met with many police and students were arrested for condemning serious breaches of humanitarian rights in Gaza, according to NPR. Yet, the Proud Boys are able to freely gather on a university campus while officials do little to stop it.
It is imperative that the way violence on university campuses is reconsidered to protect student safety and uphold the sanctity of all student organizations. If students do not attend school because they feel threatened, this is indicative of a larger problem of policing student activism in America.
Aiden is a freshman studying journalism. Please note that the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Aiden? Reach him on Instagram at @aiden_with_an_i_ or email him at ar260223@ohio.edu.
