Baylor University recently hosted a pro-LGBTQ+ event, “All Are Neighbors,” on the same day that Turning Point USA made a stop at the campus. Both events being simultaneously hosted is more of a novel conversation point than anything. What really makes it interesting is the fact that the campus literally has homophobia written into its student policy, so an event like this appears to mark a change in the campus’ possible approach to queerness. Thus, it is not unfair to wonder if UT San Antonio should also be more accepting of opposing viewpoints. The answer, no.
That does not refer to the LGBTQ+ community, though. Make no mistake, queer people are here to stay and nothing can or should be done to change that. Rather, the opposing viewpoints of TPUSA and similar organizations should not be accepted or normalized.
TPUSA is a homophobic, sexist, racist and bigoted organization founded by Charlie Kirk, a former far-right christofascist who made a name for himself debating college students. TPUSA has visited UT San Antonio many times and even has a chapter on campus. Frankly, it is a damn shame that they do.
UT San Antonio is — obviously — a university: a place of equality, self discovery, education and acceptance. TPUSA’s values spit on all of those points. There is no such thing as an educated racist, a sexist that supports equality, a homophobe that wants people to find and be themselves or a bigot that loves acceptance. All those things are complete oxymorons, and any reasonable person should find themselves completely embarrassed to be on a college campus spewing anti-educative viewpoints. Given, “reasonable bigot” is also an oxymoron.
It has to be noted that, as UT San Antonio is a public university, no one can be denied their First Amendment right to free speech. Only private universities, such as Baylor University, have that privilege. So it is not up to leadership to ban particular groups from campus — it is up to UT San Antonio’s student body.
Every time there is a speaker who supports bigotry, the student body should openly and unapologetically shame that person. That person should know that they have absolutely no place on this campus. Whether it be through a refusal to engage with them, a flip of the bird while passing by or through direct verbal shaming, no one who wants to limit the rights of other people should be socially accepted in any way, shape or form. There is no such thing as being bigoted toward a bigot.
