Editor, Daily Nexus,

I am writing in response to the article (“David Horowitz’s Lecture Should Not Be Tolerated,” Daily Nexus, Oct. 18). Mr. Tohe claims that Horowitz wants to take away professors’ first amendment rights to state their political opinions in class and then argues that Mr. Horowitz should not be allowed to speak at UCSB. This argument is both hypocritical and a mischaracterization of Mr. Horowitz’s position. It also seems to contradict the first amendment, which Mr. Tohe is so fond of. I agree that Horowitz made some controversial claims – some, even as a conservative, that I disagree with. But he also made some salient points.

One of his central arguments is that a liberal bias exists in higher education and that it is improper for professors, whatever their political persuasion, to interject their political views into classes that have nothing to do about politics. Horowitz rightly believes that in order to have a quality education you must be exposed to a wide variety of viewpoints. A diverse education with multiple viewpoints is essential to raise a citizenry that can think and make well-informed well-informed decisions. Hearing one viewpoint merely serves to create a population of drones. We must be exposed to the thoughts of people like Horowitz as well as people on the left. Eliminating one of those viewpoints because we do not like its message is both ill conceived and close-minded. If liberals and conservatives made an effort to understand each others’ viewpoints and understand that neither side has the perfect answer for everything, we would all be a lot better off.