Milo Yiannopoulos came to campus and caused a scene
‘He called the rape propaganda ‘bollocks”
As one of the least diverse universities and cities in the United States, it should come as no shock that the majority of the over 350 students who attended Pitt College Republican’s event, Milo Yiannopoulos: Free Speech in Crisis, applauded Milo’s use of rhetoric to deface and delegitimize minority student movements on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus.
Within ten minutes of Yiannopoulos beginning his speech, he had already denied rape culture on campuses across America as well as the statistics used by multiple organizations and research institutions to support their claims.
He called the rape propaganda “bollocks,” claiming that lesbians perpetuate such high statistics furthering his main argument that the feminist movement “has gone completely mad” and is simply a platform used by females to further the “man-hating” campaign. In response, feminist activists began stomping through the Assembly Room of the William Pitt Union, chanting “2 4 6 8 stop the violence stop the rape.”
Yiannopoulos has made a name for himself on the basis of being incapable of being offended and for speaking to the conservative mindset, promoting the notion that all speech is free speech regardless of its intention, or ability to incite violence and hate. While Yiannopoulos presents a valid argument, he continuously interrupted and prohibited student activists from exercising their right to free speech and refused to listen to the facts and statistics on which his argument and speech is based upon.
In response, close to 100 students, according to the Pitt Police, arrived at the public forum meeting Tuesday night held by Student Government Board. Students began to voice their frustration, anger, and hurt at being targeted and being made to feel unsafe on an otherwise apathetic campus. Student Government Board and the Allocations Committee’s hands however, are tied, as Pitt – a public university – is obligated to follow the Supreme Court ruling which orders campus leaders to remain neutral in regards to providing funds to groups on campus, including the illegalization of screening speakers students bring.
So where do we go from here? As broke college students, are we forever stuck in a position of powerlessness where only the speakers who are brought in are allowed to voice their opinions, or should we utilize Yiannopoulos’ same argument as a sign to exercise our right to freedom of speech and freedom to organize?