One day before she was scheduled to speak, Wingate University revoked funding for Nonie Darwish’s YAF-sponsored lecture on campus, citing “hateful” chalk advertisements and flyers as the reason for the decision.
In an email to Wingate Young Americans for Freedom, the club organizing the event, an administrator explained that chalk advertisements for the lecture drawn by the chapter were of “extreme concern” to her.
The content of those advertisements? One simple question: “Why do Terrorists Hate America?”
The administrator continued, “Concerns have also come to my attention regarding ‘flyers’ that have been posted around campus and although I have not seen them personally, this in conjunction with the concern of a number of individuals that have reached out to me is yet again concerning.”
To be clear, this administrator is citing posters that she admittedly has never seen and chalk drawings criticizing America’s enemies as her reasons for defunding a lecture.
The administrator chided the students, remarking, “we do not promote and/or associate hate with a Faith Lyceum event.”
That’s right- at Wingate University it’s “hateful” to criticize terrorists and hang flyers.
The administrator finished, “I am requesting that you immediately remove all flyers that promote this event as a Lyceum and would ask that you remove all chalk advertisements as well. With this no longer being a Lyceum, I also am no longer able to fund this event and ask that you please plan accordingly.”
Wingate YAF has called the decision “cowardly,” and is prepared to fight for their event. Despite the loss of university funding, Young America’s Foundation has stepped in to pay the additional cost in order to ensure that students at Wingate University will have the opportunity to hear Nonie Darwish speak.
