George Gawrych Shouted Down At Cal State Northridge — Bob Small of Delco Debates forwarded from Eugene Volokh about how a group of Armenian students shut down a lecture by scholar George Gawrych at California State University Northridge.
Gawrych’s subject was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. It was part of “Ataturk Week” which involved events in Southern California scheduled for Nov. 9-13.
Kemal was an Turkish army officer who became leader of that nation in 1923 after years of war and chaos. He modernized the nation and was bestowed with the surname “Ataturk” meaning “Father of the Turks”.
Armenians, however, blame Ataurk for expunging their people from Turkey claiming he drove off those Armenians who survived 1915 Genocide during the Turkish War of Independence.
Ataturk is not considered to have been involved with the genocide itself.
Regardless, speakers should never be shouted down at any university and schools must respect the rights of all invited speakers to have their say.
“Free speech….as long as we agree with it.”