Politics

Louis Farrakhan’s visit to Alabama campus at invitation of College Democrats protested

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
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Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan’s planned visit to the campus of Alabama A&M next month as a guest of the university’s College Democrats is drawing more protests from Republicans both inside and outside the state.

“It is inexcusable that College Democrats invite one of America’s most prolific purveyors of hate speech to deliver an address during a pivotal election season,” said Alex Schriver, the chairman of the College Republican National Committee. “They should be inviting positive thinkers who have reasonable contributions to the political discussion.”

Farrakhan is set to speak with students at the Huntsville campus on April 10 at the invitation of a coalition of student groups, which includes the Alabama A&M Democrats.

The Anti-Defamation League says Farrakhan “has marked himself a notable figure on the extremist scene by making hateful statements targeting Jews, whites and homosexuals.”

Auburn student Jackson Pruett, who leads the College Republican Federation of Alabama, said “Farrakhan’s presence is even more disturbing when we consider that the purpose of college political parties is to help educate students on current events and party platforms.”

“This is the man whom the Alabama A & M College Democrats select as speaker,” Pruett said. “Anti-Semite, homophobe, and racist, that’s the voice who will be ‘educating’ the future of the Alabama Democratic Party.”

Schriver, an Alabamian who leads the CRNC, referenced the protests by conservatives over the Alabama Democratic Party throwing a reception ahead of controversial comedian Bill Maher performance in the state earlier this month.

“Democrats in Alabama have abandoned mainstream voters, choosing instead to embrace liberal extremism,” Schriver said.

The Alabama Democratic Party has not responded to a multitude of requests for comment from The Daily Caller on both events.

But as for the Farrakhan event, organizer Kris Taylor, who leads the poetry club at Alabama A&M, predicted that there’s “going to be positive energy coming from this.”

“I don’t believe he’s going to come here and bash the Jews,” Taylor told WHNT News 19 this week.

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