GMU Disinvites Moore

[Southpaw Bookworm]

OK DUers, get out those LLTE writing pens, especially for those in Virginia. With former Reaganites on the board of trustees, you can bet these folks wouldn't be cancelling this event if it were Sean hannity or the Swift Boaters.

Give 'em hell!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63399-2004Sep30.html

George Mason University canceled a scheduled speaking engagement by liberal filmmaker Michael Moore yesterday after two conservative state legislators and others complained that public money should not support an overtly political event.

Moore, the outspoken director of the movie "Fahrenheit 9/11," was to have received about $35,000 for his Oct. 28 speech at the Patriot Center on the Fairfax campus -- an event that university officials had arranged a week ago and had not begun to publicize.

Word spread quickly, and after complaints from the legislators and some members of the community reached the office of President Alan G. Merten this week, the school announced that the event, coming so close to the presidential election, would be "an inappropriate use of state resources."

Moore, in a telephone interview last night from his home in Flint, Mich., said he intends to speak at George Mason anyway. "I'm going to show up in support of free speech and free expression," he said.

[oc2002]

1. as any state supported university...

..it is a hostage of state politicians. MMoore should go and speak anyway, but without GMU approval or invitation.

GMU is a great school, mostly liberal, but should be careful not to be blatantly partisan. At least not until the state starts to vote more Democratic.