Word: calero
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Letters in The Crimson and the Law School Record have raised questions about the adequacy of precautions for Adolfo Calero's appearance at the Law School on October 2. This may have left an impression that Law School and University officials did not take seriously the need for security for this event. Accordingly, it may be helpful for me to review briefly some of the steps directed toward making it possible for Mr. Calero to deliver his address at the Law School. These included the following...
...School officials had met several times prior to the day of the speech with the police, HLS Republicans and with those who wished to protest Dr. Calero's views, to plan for various contingencies...
...that some of the decisions made and precautions taken before or during the event could have been improved upon. The steps we took did not prevent the frightening lunge at the speaker, although the deployment of the police did prevent a Tufts college undergraduate from reaching or harming Mr. Calero. Maybe more police officers deployed differently would have discouraged or prevented Mr. Laub's lunge, but I doubt it. Obviously Law School and University officials will draw on this experience the next time they face a similar situation...
...reference to the cancellation by Law School officials of Adolfo Calero's speech after a protester (Tufts senior Joshua Laub) tried to attack the contra leader, Orenstein states, "Such panicked reactions [to protests]... stifle free speech on campus." Such logic is unfortunately warped. If the owner of a private forum in which to speak removes that forum, that does not constitute a restriction of free speech. A physical attack upon one who is speaking, however, is a "stifling" of that individual's right to free speech, and hence responsibility for any reaction thereto lies with the attacker...
Orenstein cites as a cause of unrest the fact that "...the University invites highly controversial speakers who provoke physical reactions--both violent and non-violent--in some people." Again, Orenstein implies that responsibility for an action lies with someone other than the initiator of that action. Calero enjoys no magical power to inspire violence in people--violence is a product of the individual. Responsibility for violence lies solely with its initiator...