A lesson in free speech at UChicago 55 years ago

The current brouhaha at University of Chicago over presumed white nationalist and ousted presidential adviser Steve Bannon's appearance at a business school debate brings to mind my experience on the subject as a freshman there in 1963. We incoming newbies were invited to a speech by Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad who spent much of has talk castigating white people as oppressors of America's still segregated black population. Things got a little tense as Muhammad exclaimed that all white people are devils. At that moment a freshman jumped up and shouted, "I am not a devil", dissipating the tension in the auditorium. I don't expect a current UChicago freshman to jump up and exclaim "I am not a white nationalist" if Bannon's xenophobia begins to show during the debate. Let Bannon speak and make a fool of himself discrediting his views headed for the scrapheap of history, the current leader of that movement occupying the Oval Office, notwithstanding.