Controversy is coming to campus today, as the Milton S. Eisenhower Symposium brings political analyst Ann Coulter in the second event of the speaker series. The lawyer-turned-political commentator's fiery conservative rhetoric has stirred the political media debate, and has begun to stir Hopkins political groups.
The speaker, partially sponsored by the Johns Hopkins College Republicans College Republicans, has spurred a planned demonstration by the Johns Hopkins College Democrats. As Hopkins College Republicans posted fliers around campus with the Coulter quote, "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders, convert them to Christianity," the group's president Eric Wolkoff said the group has been preparing for her all week.
Coulter was also sponsored by the Young Americans Foundation, a conservative campus speaker program and the Clare Boothe Luce Foundation, an organization to bring female conservative speakers to campus, according to Wolkoff.
"We respect her opinions, even if we don't agree with them," said Hopkins College Democrats president Hope Kelaher. According to Kelaher, the group will begin by distributing flyers with past quotes from Coulter starting at 6:30 Thursday evening.
Although Wolkoff said he was not aware of the Democratic demonstration as of Wednesday night, he stressed the importance of a political discourse. "They're a political organization and have a right to have their voice heard. We'll have our people there too" he said.
Kelaher said she expects 50-75 Hopkins college democrats in attendance for the speech and is looking forward to what she called a great opportunity.
"The whole idea of having demonstrations between two political organization is very exciting, especially on a campus that has in the past been politically apathetic," she said.
Coulter's conservative opinions have earned her international fame. Her most recent success has been her book, Slander: Liberal Lies about The American Right, which recently made the New York Times Best-Seller List.
She also makes frequent appearances on several news magazines, including Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, Larry King Live, Hannity and Colmes and The O'Reilly Factor, among others.
Coulter's comments, which she gave in an interview with an editor from the News-Letter, preceded the speech that she is scheduled to give tonight at the Milton S. Eisenhower Symposium.
News-Letter: Your speech on Thursday will deal with "What Makes an American?" Have we lost a sense of what Americans should believe?
Ann Coulter: Some of us have.
N-L: How was political life at Cornell, your alma mater, and how did it help shape your ideals?
A.C.: It was entertaining. I entered Cornell as a standard conservative and left a violent one.
N-L: Beyond college, was there any one incident or issue that motivated yourpolitical involvement?
A.C.: Assuming you mean "other than" and not "chronologically following" college:
A.C.: My mother and father.
N-L: With the war in Iraq, there have been a number of protests, including here on Homewood campus. Many have called into question the surge of American patriotism after 9/11. Are the protestors really "un-American?"
A.C.: Damn close.
N-L: Last fall, Nadine Strossen and Christopher Whitcomb debated the USA PATRIOT act here on campus. What would you say in regards to the new additions to the Patriot Act (Patriot Act II) currently being debated in congress?
A.C.: If Ashcroft is for it, I'm for it. I especially like the title.
N-L: Bush recently declared his belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman only. What do you think of the idea of gay marriage in America?
A.C.: Marriage should be between a man and woman only.
N-L: The new, stricter visa laws have left some Hopkins students and researchers unable to get visas to come here and continue their work. Some claim that the measures are overly restrictive. How do you view the new visa policy?
A.C.: Not strict enough.
N-L: What one idea or message would you give to Hopkins?
A.C.: God bless the U.S.A.
