The Cornell Daily Sun (https://cornellsun.com/tag/joel-malina-kkk-speaker/)
The University has a commitment to viewpoint diversity and free speech. But when that speech veers into discrimination and targeted harassment, creating an unsafe environment for marginalized students, that’s where the line must be drawn.
My comments, in response to a question from a participant in the meeting about the KKK, were made in the context of my being challenged on why Cornell is allowing some hurtful speech to take place and to illustrate Cornell’s deep commitment to free expression. In retrospect, it was a terrible analogy that was posed, and a false equivalency, and I should have said as much in response. To be clear, the KKK is abhorrent by any standard, and Cornell University would never invite a representative of the KKK to campus. Any speaker invited by a faculty member or student organization is reviewed by the University Events Team and is only allowed to come to campus if the safety of all in our community can be assured.