Campus Groups Unite to Protest Possible Duke Visit

A coalition of campus groups is preparing a protest for an expected visit by Republican presidential candidate David Duke to the Kennedy School of Government.

Among the groups joining the anti-Duke effort are the Black Students Association (BSA), Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel, Harvard-Radcliffe Democrats, the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Students Association and Raza, officers of several of the organizations said yesterday.

And the Harvard Republican Club is mounting its own offensive against the presidential candidate, according to club president Emil G. Michael '94.

Duke, a former grand wizard of the Klu Klux Klan, was invited to speak by the Kennedy School's Institute of Politics (IOP) in January.

The IOP made that offer to Duke after Hillel and the BSA rejected the IOP's request in December to co-sponsor the event.

The leaders of the coalition group--Shai A. Held '94, chair of Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel, and Art A. Hall '93, president of the Black Students Association (BSA)--confirmed yesterday that participants in the group have met at least once.

Held and Hall said that while the projected rally will contest Duke's beliefs, it will not challenge his right to speak.

"We basically support his right to the freedom of speech, but we also uphold our right to the freedom of speech and to protest peacefully," Held said. "We consider him to be repugnant and racist."

Michael said his club also supports Duke's right to speak, but renounces the candidate's affiliation with the Republican party. Though the club will not join the coalition, it plans to distribute a letter condemning Duke if he visits Harvard.

Duke has not officially responded to the offer yet, according to IOP Forum Director Heather P. Campion.

Although Duke told The Crimson earlier this month that he only needs to find time in his schedule to speak at Harvard, Campion said she has no reason to be sure that he will do that.

"We still haven't heard anything from his office," Campion said.

Harvard Democrats President ,David C. Bunker '93, who has joined thecoalition, said the IOP's invitation of Duke wasan insult to the Harvard community.

But Bunker said his group supports Duke's rightto speak now that he has been invited.

"We feel uncomfortable with the invitation, sowe are going to protest his ideas and proposecounter-ideas," Bunker said. "He has the right tospeak, but we have the responsibility to speak outagainst him."

The Republican Club has put its complaintsagainst Duke into a statement, which Michael saidwill appear in a club newsletter. He said the clubwill distribute the letter when Duke appears oncampus.

While the statement "distinguishes theprinciples which motivate" Duke's positions fromthose of the club, it stresses the importance ofgranting Duke an "equal opportunity" to speak atHarvard.

Michael said he believes that while Duke shouldhave the freedom to speak at Harvard and to runfor president, he should not be able to do eitheras a representative of the Republican party.

"If he wants to run as an independent, that'sfine. But he has no right to be on the Republicanticket," Michael said.

Michael also said that an appearance here willnot bolster Duke's image, as many groups haveargued.

"If he comes here, he will be seen as theracist as he is," Michael said. "The publicityfrom all the protests will only serve to discredithim and his campaign.

But Bunker said his group supports Duke's rightto speak now that he has been invited.

"We feel uncomfortable with the invitation, sowe are going to protest his ideas and proposecounter-ideas," Bunker said. "He has the right tospeak, but we have the responsibility to speak outagainst him."

The Republican Club has put its complaintsagainst Duke into a statement, which Michael saidwill appear in a club newsletter. He said the clubwill distribute the letter when Duke appears oncampus.

While the statement "distinguishes theprinciples which motivate" Duke's positions fromthose of the club, it stresses the importance ofgranting Duke an "equal opportunity" to speak atHarvard.

Michael said he believes that while Duke shouldhave the freedom to speak at Harvard and to runfor president, he should not be able to do eitheras a representative of the Republican party.

"If he wants to run as an independent, that'sfine. But he has no right to be on the Republicanticket," Michael said.

Michael also said that an appearance here willnot bolster Duke's image, as many groups haveargued.

"If he comes here, he will be seen as theracist as he is," Michael said. "The publicityfrom all the protests will only serve to discredithim and his campaign.