The Volokh Conspiracy
Mostly law professors | Sometimes contrarian | Often libertarian | Always independent
On Charlie Kirk's Assassination
Every time a controversial speaker steps foot on a college campus, there is a risk.
In 2018, I was protested at the CUNY Law School. Thankfully, the students did not engage in any acts of physical violence, but I was well aware that things could have turned south quickly. Immediately after the event, I went home to see my parents in Staten Island. My mom and dad were mortified at what happened to me. They were concerned for my physical safety. They implored me to never speak at another law school again.
You can gather I did not heed their advice. I decided, for better or worse, that the messages I bring to other schools are very important, and there would be a significant loss were I to stand down. Still, every time I step foot on a campus, I realize there is a risk. I fully recognize that most law schools lack sufficient resources to protect me as a speaker. Some schools require visitors to check in at a reception desk. Others do not. Virtually no schools have any sort of security checks at the door. I am not (yet) at the level where I need to bring my own security detail. I am truly at the mercy of whatever students decide to do.
This realization flashed before my eyes as I learned the tragic news of Charlie Kirk's assassination. Kirk became one of the most influential conservatives in America. To his credit, he traveled across the country, and was willing to engage and debate on some of the most contentious issues in society. And by all accounts, it seems that Kirk's controversial views led to his assassination.
One response to his craven killing would be to cower, and stop speaking on controversial issues. That surely is the path of least resistance, and I would not begrudge someone who takes that path. Another response is to resolve to speak more boldly about that which matters the most.
It is easy enough for people who are not on the speaking circuit to opine on how to proceed. (Much like people who have never written anything longer than anonymous comments feel qualified to attack regular bloggers.) But these people aren't the ones who have to wake up at the crack of dawn, board a crowded flight, rent a car in some foreign city, show up at an event where you are vulnerable and exposed, and then try to get some sleep at a generic hotel. The lifestyle of a public speaker may seem glamorous, but it is not. And now, with Kirk's assassination, the cost of public speaking becomes even greater.
I think FedSoc speakers, and other fellow travelers, will need to give more thought to security and safety.
I already have a host of events scheduled this semester, which I don't plan to cancel. Long-time readers may have observed that I no longer post my travel schedule in advance. I stopped doing so after the CUNY protest, so I would not make it easier for protesters to plan.
