Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(107,986 posts)
Sun Mar 24, 2024, 09:12 PM Mar 24

Rittenhouse killed two people and bragged about it. Colleges shouldn't host him to speak.

Haley Rinehart

I am a proud graduate of Western Kentucky University.

I earned my undergraduate and graduate degrees from WKU and continue to support WKU students who need internships relating to my career.

I have attended many events at WKU over the years, both as a student and resident of Bowling Green. I have also participated in events on campus, such as the March for Our Lives event in 2018.

And I have never been one to criticize an event or speaker that WKU has hosted, until I learned that Kyle Rittenhouse would be bringing his “Rittenhouse Recap” to campus.

Don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe in freedom of speech. I do not, however, condone a person bragging about killing people, even if it is in “self-defense,” and WKU should not have allowed such an event to take place on our campus.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/rittenhouse-killed-two-people-bragged-091324808.html

9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Rittenhouse killed two people and bragged about it. Colleges shouldn't host him to speak. (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Mar 24 OP
The colleges are not hosting him CanonRay Mar 24 #1
Some school organization... SergeStorms Mar 25 #5
Turning Point has campus affiliates CanonRay Mar 25 #8
To add insult to injury, TexasTowelie Mar 24 #2
That happened before he was born. murielm99 Mar 24 #3
You're correct. TexasTowelie Mar 24 #4
There's a plaque on campus.... SergeStorms Mar 25 #6
I wish people, even those on our side, would stop framing this as a free speech issue. Aristus Mar 25 #7
Ordinarily, student groups have a lot of discretion when inviting speakers. SYFROYH Mar 25 #9

SergeStorms

(19,201 posts)
5. Some school organization...
Mon Mar 25, 2024, 12:01 AM
Mar 25

must be paying him to speak. That any student fund would be pilfered to have a murderous high school dropout speak on campus is completely out of bounds.

I can see offering alternative viewpoints on topical subjects, but this waste of molecular structure is far beyond the pale of those.

TPUSA doesn't just show up with him and demand a lecture hall in which to speak, right?

CanonRay

(14,101 posts)
8. Turning Point has campus affiliates
Mon Mar 25, 2024, 10:47 AM
Mar 25

Just like Young Republicans. They do the invites and the school can't say no.

TexasTowelie

(112,189 posts)
2. To add insult to injury,
Sun Mar 24, 2024, 09:51 PM
Mar 24

Kyle is scheduled to speak at Kent State University on April 16. He shows that he is tone deaf to the massacre that occurred there.

murielm99

(30,741 posts)
3. That happened before he was born.
Sun Mar 24, 2024, 09:56 PM
Mar 24

It is likely he never heard of it. I had to tell my kids what it was. I can't stand the kid, but there is an explanation.

TexasTowelie

(112,189 posts)
4. You're correct.
Sun Mar 24, 2024, 10:03 PM
Mar 24

A couple days ago I was speaking to someone at my apartment complex who seems aware and intelligent who is probably between 35 and 40 years old. He never heard of the Kent State massacres so I had to provide a brief summary of the events.

I see that applying to Kyle because of cutbacks to education the outdated history textbooks don't mention anything that occurred after World War II. Kyle may have never studied history since he was home-schooled.

SergeStorms

(19,201 posts)
6. There's a plaque on campus....
Mon Mar 25, 2024, 12:05 AM
Mar 25

where the murders took place.

Why do these Colleges and Universities allow his presence on their campuses?

He must be speaking under the aegis of some College organization.

Aristus

(66,369 posts)
7. I wish people, even those on our side, would stop framing this as a free speech issue.
Mon Mar 25, 2024, 10:32 AM
Mar 25

Kyle Rottenhouse didn't get thrown into prison for saying the things he says.

Hell, he didn't get thrown into prison for killing people.

Public and private institutions have the right to approve or reject anyone from speaking within their walls for any reason. And if they approve some dickless wonderboy like Rottenhouse, the students have the free speech right to express their perfectly justified outrage and scorn.

Public speech that is free of legal consequences isn't necessarily free of moral and ethical consequences.

SYFROYH

(34,170 posts)
9. Ordinarily, student groups have a lot of discretion when inviting speakers.
Mon Mar 25, 2024, 03:02 PM
Mar 25

For example, at my campus, a professor or administrator can't ask a campaigning politician to speak, but a student group could.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Editorials & Other Articles»Rittenhouse killed two pe...