Like many colleges and universities, Loyola University New Orleans (my alma mater), a private Jesuit university, has a student-run government organization. That student government organization had an opportunity to debate whether or not to officially recognize a recently-formed campus chapter of Turning Point USA, the late Charlie Kirk’s organization. The student government held a hearing, they heard the pitch, they listened to the students who opposed, and then they voted no.
That’s a perfectly natural process. It’s a competition in the marketplace of ideas — and Turning Point USA lost. And that should be the end of the story, except for the fact that Louisiana’s Republican leaders — including Governor Jeff Landry, Attorney General Liz Murrill, the state GOP chair, and the Louisiana Freedom Caucus — are freaking out about it. They’re acting like Loyola just outlawed free speech.
Obviously, Loyola isn’t banning anyone from talking. Nobody’s being silenced or canceled; miss me with that noise. This Turning Points USA chapter has already pulled itself together and is free to meet, to engage other students, build a website, publish a podcast, hand out flyers, whatever they want to do. The organization that officially represents all students in campus affairs simply said, “You don’t represent the university’s values, you are off mission, and you do not get the official Loyola stamp of approval.”…