The recent call by ‘activists’ to defund the Argus after the Stascavage op-ed is another assault on free speech by neoliberal fascists. These people clearly believe that they need to control not just the speech but the thought processes of anyone who doesn’t agree with their world view. There is nothing complicated here – this is simple Fascism at the grass roots level. Every one of the signers of that petition needs to take a course in the concept of Free Speech. The Argus and the administration are making matters worse by caving in to these hysterics. Pandering to fascists by having a Black Out edition is itself a racist act. Martin Luther King famously stated that people should be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. Leaders of the University and within the student community need to “man up” and stop folding every time someone accuses them of racism. It’s racist to pander to hysterics who focus o n emotion rather than reason.

Vingiano is a member of the Class of 1980.