Category:Trojan speakers

Trojan speakers

Opinion

While superficially about Free Speech issues, most of these campus disputes usually mean "free speech for far-right and extreme anti-abortion speakers", with a token sprinkling of other unpopular topics.

Trojan Speaker Strategy

• Pick a speaker out on the fringes of social acceptability, who has hopefully stopped short of direct statements over the edge, but extreme dog whistles are fine.
• Pivot the topic away from their position to "free speech". The protestors objecting to a speaker who has advocated racism, genocide, etc, are now anti-free speech.
• Sometimes bring in another speaker to give a weak toast rebuttal, so that it's a "debate in the marketplace of ideas" rather than officially promoting the speaker's positions.
• Never discuss speaker's fees and costs. That would only draw attention to that the "student association" inviting them is actually a large well-funded national outside organization with dark money obscuring its donors.

Outcomes

• Load institutions with massive security costs.
• Highlight protests as the Intolerant Left.
• Rally points for groups like the Proud Boys, Wolves of Odin, etc.
• A wedge issue with Centerists.
• Lawsuits if the speaker is blocked.
• Legislation to defund institutions that block far-right "free speech".
• Painful editorials in the NYT bemoaning "both sides".

Most of the high-profile far-right speakers are brought in by outside organizations, like Turning Point USA, Young America's Foundation and others, paying the transportation and speaker's fees well outside the means of most student groups.

See also

• Paradox of tolerance article from Wikipedia