Former Vice President Dick Cheney refuted accusations that he is a war criminal last week during a speech in Bender Arena. Multiple students left the event in protest, triggering campus-wide controversy and nationwide headlines. The AU community has since been forced to question the Kennedy Political Union’s choice of speakers and the role of student protesters on this campus.
Cheney raised eyebrows on several occasions during his speech. After admitting that three people were waterboarded during his vice presidency, he denied that waterboarding qualifies as torture. He also insisted that if he had the chance, he would “do it all over again.” It wasn’t long before 10 students fled for the exits, shouting, “Walk out on war criminals!”
In the following 48 hours, the confrontation became a viral topic of debate both at home and at large. One op/ed published in The Eagle criticized Cheney’s appearance as “a slap in the face to the most fundamental values of this university.” Several national news outlets also reported on the events’ unfolding, such as MSNBC and The Chicago Sun Times.
The Editorial Board supports the manner in which protesters conducted themselves at the Cheney KPU event. They voiced their opposition briefly and clearly in the most public way they possibly could. Cheney may have been momentarily disrupted, but no student prevented any productive dialogue from occurring, which is the bottom line. Some students may see their protest as an antagonistic interruption, but as the student body’s most vocal advocate of free speech, The Eagle see’s their effort as reasonable and appropriate.
The Editorial Board also supports KPU’s decision to host Cheney at our University. While his history is controversial and his political views likely clash with the majority of students’, the AU community only benefited from this entire ordeal. Some dismiss KPU’s actions as a publicity stunt, but it is one that worked incredibly well and resulted in a real, constructive dialogue.
AU students should be proud that their school is being nationally recognized for hosting and questioning a former vice president in the manner that it did. Cheney’s presence awoke a vibrant national conversation that has real implications on people and policy. Regardless of anyone’s bias, that is the standard by which we should judge KPU speakers.-E
