Free Speech Organization: Rutgers Canceling Lisa Daftari Speech Is ‘Problematic’

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a nonpartisan organization that defends free speech on college campuses, told the Journal in a phone interview that Rutgers’ cancellation of journalist Lisa Daftari’s Oct. 16 speech was “problematic.”

Zach Greenberg, FIRE’s Individual Rights Defense Program Officer, told the Journal that because Rutgers postponed Daftari’s speech without providing a rationale for it meets their standards for a cancellation.

“We think this is problematic because it deprives the student body of an opportunity to hear somebody, somebody they may disagree with, someone that has views they may oppose,” Greenberg said, “and this is an issue because students have the right to listen to those that they disagree with, and we think that students should embrace the opportunity to hear from someone that has views they may disagree with – and the opportunity to question this person – and potentially learn something new. That’s what free speech is all about.”

Greenberg pointed out that this was not the first time Rutgers has canceled a speech, as FIRE’s database shows that there have been four disinvitation attempts at Rutgers since 2003. One of those attempts was in 2014, when former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice backed out of a scheduled commencement address in 2014 following student protests over her Iraq War involvement. In 2003, a student threw a pie at Israeli politician Natan Sharansky right before he was scheduled to speak at Rutgers. Sharansky still spoke.

“We’re seeing a lot of controversial, high profile speakers receiving calls of disinvitations,” Greenberg said, “and I think this is evident of a disdain for the free exchange of ideas on campus, because universities should be places that promote the free exchange of ideas, and I think it would best serve its students if they allow them to engage with a wide variety of speakers, not only the speakers that they agree with.”

Greenberg also said that FIRE is still reviewing the case at hand.

Rutgers told Daftari on Oct. 11 that her speech was going to be canceled after some students accused her of Islamophobia. On Oct. 15, the university told the Journal in an email that they offered Daftari a series of date to reschedule the speech; but Daftari told the Journal that she wasn’t going to accept their offer.

“To come back after the damage has been done to my reputation and suggest that this was some misunderstanding and to continue with the premise that the event was merely postponed, lacks the integrity and respect that I would have hoped from my alma mater,” Daftari wrote to the university.