Liberal Intolerance on College Campuses

GUESTS: Jill Strominger, Nick Hahn

INGRAHAM: And in the "Personal Story" segment tonight, two more examples of liberal intolerance on college campuses.

First, students and faculty at Washington University in St. Louis stood up and turned their backs as conservative activist pioneer Phyllis Schlafly received her honorary degree there.

Then a conservative group at DePaul University in Chicago invited one of the founders of the Minutemen to speak on campus. And as you can see, the event drew heavy protests from students and pro-immigration activists.

Joining us now from Omaha, a student who protested at Washington University, Jill Strominger, and from Chicago, Nick Hahn, of DePaul Conservatives Alliance, to organize the Minuteman event.

Welcome to both of you.

Let's start with you, Jill. Jill, which conservative, which prominent conservative do you think would deserve an honorary degree at Washington University? Why don't you name a few?

JILL STROMINGER, PROTESTOR, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: Well, I absolutely think that's not the issue, Laura.

INGRAHAM: Now what is the issue? And I just ask the questions. Jill, stay with me here. We only have a few minutes.

You turned your back on one of the leading lights of the conservative movement. Phyllis Schlafly is a pioneer. Whether you agree with her or not, she changed the way people think about politics in this country, period.

So I'm asking you, if she is not someone who legitimately should receive an honorary degree, which conservative do you think should?

STROMINGER: Well, I mean, there are many fabulous choices like Colin Powell. But the issue...

INGRAHAM: He wouldn't qualify as a pioneering conservative. He's a great man, though.

STROMINGER: Laura, you're completely mischaracterizing, you know, what happened and what we were standing against, which is actually part of the reason that we chose to protest Schlafly.

Our problem was less her specific viewpoints but more the way that she expresses herself. The way that she mischaracterizes her opponents and how her style of debate changed the debate in such a way that it led people to be oppressed.

INGRAHAM: Jill, do you or do you not believe in free speech on college campus?

STROMINGER: I absolutely believe in free speech. But there's a difference.

INGRAHAM: How about respect and disrespecting people who speak? Don't you think that's a sign of disrespect? I mean, whether you agree with her or not, so what, she's getting an honorary degree. A lot of people that got honorary degrees at Dartmouth and I didn't much like them, but I didn't turn my back on them either.

STROMINGER: Yes. Well, our protest actually ended up giving Phyllis Schlafly a platform, you know, to air her views.

INGRAHAM: Well, then it was a dumb idea in the first place.

STROMINGER: ... platform, as well.

INGRAHAM: Well, it was -- Jill, it ends up making you look intolerant when liberals are supposed to be for more speech. ...

•	Liberal Intolerance on College Campuses Fox - The O'Reilly Factor, Tuesday, May 20, 2008 Byline: Laura Ingraham