Some Protest, But Tancredo Speaks

At least 100 protesters walked out on former congressman Tom Tancredo as he spoke Monday night on the values of Western culture at UNC-Chapel Hill.

The group stood in unison, yelling, “No human is illegal,” before moving outside the Student Union and into the Pit, a concrete courtyard at the center of campus activity.

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As the demonstrators filed out of the union auditorium, Tancredo said fear of debate was driving them away.

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“They’re welcome [to leave], but there’s nothing democratic about this,” Tancredo said. “Believe me, this is a lot better than last time.”

Of the fewer than 100 left behind, most shared Tancredo’s pro-Western perspective. But when he suggested that conservative student activists never behave as badly as those who broke a window and disrupted his speech last spring, another protester shouted, “No, you lynched people.”

“I’m glad that they showed what they really do believe in, and that’s censorship,” Tancredo went on.

Thirty-six UNC public safety and Chapel Hill Police officers guarded the auditorium, four times as many officers as those who forced about 30 protesters out of Bingham Hall last spring.

Last year, officers threatened demonstrators with a Taser weapon and dispersed them with pepper spray.

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The event was co-sponsored by the Patrick Henry Center for Individual Liberty and the Leadership Institute.

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Meanwhile, in the Pit, student groups held a pro-immigrant rally and accused Tancredo of racism.

“Hateful discourse amplified by money and access to media create the foundation upon which Minutemen and the KKK operate,” wrote Feminist Students United in a statement.

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He [Tancredo] said Democrats view immigrants as potential votes and Republicans view them as cheap labor, sapping any political will to tighten borders.

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Victory at UNC

Kevin DeAnna, Youth for Western Civilization, April 27, 2010

I just returned from our event at the University of North Carolina where Congressman Tom Tancredo spoke to a supportive audience. Conservatives from around the state–and even outside the state–attended to hear Congressman Tancredo’s common sense message about border security, conservative resistance to big government, and pride in our shared Western Civilization. Thanks to both the Patrick Henry Center and CampusReform.org for their help in funding and promoting this event.

The media is reporting that 100 protesters walked out of the speech. I think they added a zero to that estimate. The fact is, after all the talk, and all the posturing, and all the militant rhetoric about shutting us down, all we had to deal with tonight is a tiny group of little kids who couldn’t even summon the numbers to form a halfway decent drum circle. We barely noticed when they left and were laughing hysterically. This is it? This is the great left wing vanguard? I’ve seen more leftists at half price day at Starbucks.

Tom’s speech was well received by the audience. During the question and answer period, Tom was able to speak on a wide range of topics and mingle with audience members afterward for more discussion. A number of people approached me afterwards and asked, “What exactly is controversial about this?” I’ve been asking the same question for a year now.

This is a great victory for Youth for Western Civilization. In the year since our last visit, even with the loss of some major grant programs that we used to fund speeches last year, we’ve built a full time staff, formed new chapters around the country, and gained increasing legitimacy within the conservative movement. We are immeasurably stronger than last year. We are poised for a strong finish to this school year and will shock the country with our presence next fall.

Special thanks to Daryl Ann Dunigan, chairman of UNC YWC, for making this possible.

We will have pictures, video, and more reports about this event tomorrow. This is a big week for us so stay tuned to WesternYouth.org for more updates about events from around the country.

Conservatives, YWC is the campus resistance. We are growing, and we will win. Join us today!