11/17/21

Dear President Pestello, Dr. Lewis & University Leadership,

We are writing to you on behalf of the students of the School of Social Work and other concerned SLU students. As you are likely aware, SLU College Republicans plans to host conservative speaker Matt Walsh on December 1st in the Wool Ballrooms. His speech is titled “Why the Pro-Life Movement is Center Stage in the Culture War.” Anticipating his presence on campus has instilled fear in many SLU students.

Conservative speakers have visited our campus previously without issue. Political discourse is valuable and arguably necessary to our college education. But Matt Walsh is not simply a conservative speaker. He is a threat to women, the LGBTQIA+ community, and racial minorities on campus. His Twitter is one example of his dangerous persona. See photos of his Tweets below.

As you can read from his social media, Matt Walsh holds extremely controversial and harmful opinions. For example, he calls feminism “rotten at the core” and “one of the worst things to ever happen to western civilization.” He responds to his dissenters by calling them “stupid and morally deranged.” He says “gender theory is by far the biggest threat in our schools.” These extreme statements allow no room for healthy conversation. Instead, they promote dangerous stereotypes.

Allowing Matt Walsh to speak on campus is not representative of the Jesuit education we have received in our years at SLU. We are taught that the Jesuit mission is pursuing truth and justice for the greater good, especially on behalf of vulnerable populations. But how can SLU support vulnerable populations while hosting a speaker who actively harms these same communities? How can SLU students go on to serve their communities with the Jesuit mission if they are taught that hate speech is accepted by their university? Permitting Mr. Walsh to speak in one of the biggest rooms on campus is promoting his hateful beliefs, beliefs which we know conflict with our Jesuit education.

Furthermore, hate speech galvanizes people. Matt Walsh will potentially be on campus for a few hours. But his speech will last more than a few hours. For his supporters, his words will become a tool to advance their discriminatory behavior. These supporters will see that the SLU administration allowed a person to spread these hateful messages. The lasting impact of his talk will create further divide in the SLU community. For women, racial minorities, and the LGBTQIA+ community, his words may instill further fear: fear of participating in a classroom with his supporters, fear of expressing identity at a school that supports these beliefs, and so much more. 

Finally, we would like to open a discussion about University policy that allowed this lecture. The vetting process appears to be inadequate and concerning. We are interested in amending this policy. We are not in support of ending civil discourse and the discussion of various points of view, rather we are in support of closing loopholes that create opportunities for hate speech.

This is not about politics. This is about safety. We urge you to protect the SLU community by not allowing Matt Walsh to speak on campus.

Thank you,

The undersigned