Wise, Grand Canyon U, to let Shapiro have his say

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro found himself once again uninvited to speak on a college campus. But this time, it wasn’t to the liberal likes of Berkeley or NYU.

This time, it was Grand Canyon University .... until the school finally found its spine, that is

Think about that for a minute. A private Christian university last week cancelled a speech by a guy who preaches conservative views. This, for fear of offending someone.

“We believe in many of the things that Ben Shapiro speaks about and stands for, including his support for ideals that grow out of traditional Judeo-Christian values and his belief in a free market economy,” GCU said, in a Friday statement explaining its decision.

“Our decision to cancel Shapiro’s speaking engagement is not a reflection of his ideologies or the values he represents, but rather a desire to focus on opportunities that bring people together.”

Once upon a time, a university focused on opportunities to educate students, to expose them to an array of points of view — including points of view with which they may vehemently disagree.

Once upon a time, a university challenged its students to think.

Shapiro, who runs the Daily Wire and has a syndicated radio show, says plenty of things about which many can and will disagree. He rails against political correctness, what he calls the “victim culture” and identity politics.

He doesn’t believe gay Americans face discrimination, he opposes gay marriage and has said demeaning things about transgender individuals.

Many liberals despise the guy so it’s understandable (though lamentable) that he’s chased away from places like the University of California-Berkeley. But ... Grand Canyon University? Count GCU junior Charles Lovett among those appalled at the university’s initial decision.

“Is this what GCU stands for? Is this really what they are standing for?” he said. “At this point, my reaction is frustration, a little bit of anger, a lot of confusion. I never thought something like this would happen here.”

Lovett, a business major from Cleveland, Ohio, told me university officials needed to reverse their decision.

“Right in their statement of excellence, it says they believe they can best teach students through open discussion, presenting ideas and presenting all the ideas so that students can see every different angle on things so that we can make a decision for ourselves. It’s directly contradicting what they said. What better way to get every viewpoint than to have every viewpoint present?”

Tucson resident Jack Heald called

the move cowardly.

“I have been a GCU booster but this ends it,” he told me. “If controversy and fear of opposition is a problem we would not have the USA. God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity but of love and a sound mind.

“GCU leaders are cowardly and bending to an ungodly world view.”

The Phoenix-based university, in uninviting Shapiro, pointed out that it has a “very diverse student body” that enjoys a “unique and united community.”

In other words, the school was afraid of offending someone by letting Shapiro speak. Never mind that the university offended Lovett, Heald and a fair number of other conservative supporters by not letting Shapiro speak.

It seemed that GCU can “believe in many of the things that Ben Shapiro speaks about and stands for.” It just didn’t want to, you know, let him speak about them or stand for them.

“It was not our intent to disappoint or offend anyone,” GCU explained in its Friday statement disinviting Shapiro. “It was, rather, to use our position as a Christian university to bring unity to a community that sits amidst a country that is extremely divided and can’t seem to find a path forward toward unity.”

A path paved with muzzles, apparently. A road in which dissenting points of view must be stifled and debate discouraged. At least, on the paths running through Grand Canyon University.

Fortunately, the school grew a spine — or else grew fearful of a loss of support — and reversed course on Tuesday, announcing that it would allow Shapiro to speak after all.

Good move, GCU.

Let your “unique and united community” hear what Ben Shapiro has to say and let students who disagree challenge what he professes to believe.

Sure, somebody might be offended. Then again somebody might actually learn something.

Once upon a time, that would have been considered a good thing.