A prominent conservative writer offers to speak on Ithaca's campus, but school officials aren’t ready to say "yes."
Last week HUMAN EVENTS U told you that radical liberal radio host Al Franken would be visiting Ithaca's campus and that his trip was co-sponsored by the Roy H. Park School of Communications. While conservatives complained of another liberal speaker coming to campus, the school's dean, Dianne Lynch, claimed that "diversity of opinion" was "essential."
Lynch also said she "asked a couple of faculty to submit recommendations for conservative media representatives…"
HUMAN EVENTS U was shocked to read Dean Lynch's statements, which attested to the fact that the school was not actively inviting conservative speakers to campus.
While we offered Lynch numerous "recommendations" of conservative speakers to consider, one such right-winger went the extra step.
Alan Skorski, author of "Pants on Fire: How Al Franken Lies, Smears, and Deceives," read our story and decided to take action.
Skorski tells HUMAN EVENTS U that after reading of Franken's planned trip to Ithaca, he wrote Dean Lynch the following e-mail Monday morning.
Dean Lynch,
I've been reading about Al Franken's upcoming visit to Ithaca College next month as well as those suggesting a conservative (speaker) "balance" to Franken. I would like to offer myself as the balance.
I am the author of "Pants on Fire: How Al Franken Lies, Smears, and Deceives" and would be pleased to visit and address your student body. I have done many radio interviews and appeared on Tucker Carlson, Bill O'Reilly and C-Span.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Alan Skorski
HUMAN EVENTS U contacted Dean Lynch's office and confirmed that Lynch did receive an e-mail from Skorski. However, instead of jumping at the bit to book the conservative author, a staff member in the dean’s office told us, "…right now we do not know who our speaker is going to be and we're not currently in a position to make that decision. But we are making considerations."
HUMAN EVENTS U was told there are "several speaking engagements" on campus and that school officials "are waiting to hear back" recommendations from faculty members.
Again, HUMAN EVENTS U asks, "Why wait for recommendations? A prominent conservative speaker is already knocking at the door!"
