http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E193%257E1879003,00.html
By Gail Schoettler (gailschoettler at email.msn.com) Sunday, January 11, 2004 -
Attorney General John Ashcroft and right-wing gadfly David Horowitz no doubt share many views. They also have one dangerous common goal: They want to turn us into a nation of snitches. Just like the good old days of Joseph Stalin and Sen. Joseph McCarthy, they want Americans to spy on one another.
Horowitz, darling of the right-wing political establishment in Colorado, earned thousands of dollars on our college campuses bashing professors he deems are out of touch with his own radical philosophy. He earned all this money while claiming that people of his political persuasion were never allowed to speak on our so- called "leftist" college campuses.
In rapid response, Colorado Senate President John Andrews recently held "hearings" on what students thought about their professors' political views and tolerance of alternative opinions. Andrews has claimed he simply wants an opportunity for all views to be expressed freely on college campuses. At his "hearing," however, he invited only conservative students who agreed with his own philosophy. This kangaroo court used public resources to support one-sided diatribes against those who don't agree with Andrews.
Now, Horowitz is seeking funds to develop a huge database of so-called "leftist" and "liberal" individuals and organizations, a massive snitch file. In a "confidential" memo floating around the Web, he asked for help in financing this database, which will "make transparent the network of the left, including individuals, organizations, groups, and government legislators and officials along with the funding sources that underpin them."
These groups, according to the memo, include "peace groups, anti-nuke groups, civil liberties groups, Muslim groups, anti-Israel groups and immigration groups." Soon to be added will be "science groups, labor groups, business groups, gun-control groups, abortion groups, and various special interest lobbies." Presumably not included, however, are those lobbies that represent right-wing views. The fact that many of these "leftist" groups are pretty mainstream is irrelevant to Horowitz.
Horowitz seems opposed to the whole concept of freedom of speech, unless it's his own. For example, he rails against organizers of anti-war and anti-globalization demonstrations, claiming that they only invite like-minded people to address their groups. One has to wonder if Horowitz would invite some of these "leftist" speakers to express their views to a pro-war or an anti-choice demonstration.
He also goes after the Tides Foundation, an organization that, according to its website, is "committed to positive social change." They define their role as "creating a positive impact on people's lives in ways that honor and promote human rights, justice, and a healthy, sustainable environment." Tides partners with local community organizations to help them achieve their goals. For some reason, this is highly offensive to Horowitz, who calls Tides "a money launderer for a wide swath of ultra left-wing groups (including those devoted to 'social justice,' 'gay-lesbian- transgendered-bisexual' activism, gun control, anti-war activism, anti-capitalism and anti-globalization, and environmental extremism)."
Major Tides funders include the Pew Charitable Trust, known for its commitment to civic responsibility and a fair and open media. Why is this so threatening to Horowitz? Because they don't agree with him?
Why even mention Horowitz again? Because he is profoundly influencing our political leadership in Colorado. Because his diatribes are misleading and dishonest. Because he is attacking the core of higher education - open and free discussion of ideas and access to knowledge, not just propaganda. Because he is trying to bring back an era when freedom of expression was subject to prosecution and blacklisting.
We need to watch what our legislators do this session, and make sure they don't undermine our basic freedoms or turn college campuses into kangaroo courts, students into snitches and education into propaganda.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gail Schoettler is a former U.S. ambassador, Colorado lieutenant governor and treasurer, Democratic nominee for governor and Douglas County school board member.