Exodus: Coming Out Atheist in the African American Community

While Exodus is a film still in its funding stage, this promising project hopes to become a feature-length documentary about the growing number of African-Americans leaving religion and the prejudice and social problems they face as part of the most religious demographic in America.

Many people are surprised to learn that there are Black non-believers and while the numbers identifying as atheists are small, only 1 or 2 percent by the lowest estimates, the proportion of African-Americans who are not affiliated with a particular religion is about the same as it is for the general population of the United States, amounting to several million.

For Americans who are only slightly aware of the growing trend of African-Americans leaving religion the question is: who are the Black non-believers and where are they?

This important film will challenge stereotypes, promote dialogue, and provide a true insight into the lives of Black non-believers. Yet Black non-believers remain practically invisible in their communities and may be the most closeted group in America.

Project narrative

The church is a focal point of the African American community but many former adherents are declaring themselves non-believers and leaving the faith of their ancestors. They identify themselves as nonreligious, non-believers, Humanist, agnostic, or atheist but they all disassociate with the religion that is the focal point of their communities.

In this film, African American non-believers will tell us in interviews and conversation what caused them to leave the church, the social and personal problems that resulted, the ways their lives have been changed, and why identification as a non-believer is important to them. Pastors and theologians commenting on this trend provide a counterpoint revealing how the African American church and community are responding to this growing exodus.

The “sizzle reel” for Exodus features Alix Jules, Bridgett Bria Crutchfield and Pastor Lorenzo Neal.

Alix Jules: Jules is a secular activist in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area commonly involved in issues and topics regarding the role of diversity in the atheist community as well as atheism in diverse communities. He’s the chair of the Dallas/Fort Worth Coalition of Reason’s Diversity Council, Organizer for Black Nonbelievers of Dallas, and is a founding member of the largest family-based secular humanist organization in Texas, the Fellowship of Freethought. Jules is a regular co-host on Dogma Debate.

Bridgett Bria Crutchfield: Born and raised in Los Angeles, Bridgett (known as ‘Bria’) was raised, baptized and dis-fellowshipped from Jehovah’s Witness faith. She segued to Pentecostal Christianity and assumed leadership roles as Prophetess, Intercessory Prayer Warrior and Evangelist. After careful consideration, Bria realized she was an Atheist. In 2011, she Founded Minority Atheists of MI, and founded the Detroit affiliate of Black Nonbelievers in 2013.

Pastor Lorenzo Neal: Neal is pastor of the New Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Jackson, MS. He is also a licensed pastoral counselor and writes about Black Evangelical Christian issues and socio-political issues.

The Filmmakers

Producer/Director David Person is an accomplished professional journalist and consultant with more than 25 years of experience as a broadcaster, producer, and reporter. David Person has hosted and produced two nationally distributed public radio documentaries: Uncommon Courage: The Viola Liuzzo Story and The Afro: Personal Reflections. In addition, he has done feature reporting for National Public Radio. His most recent documentary project is The Biblical Prophets of the Qu’ran, an examination of the commonalities of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Executive Producer Charles R. “Chuck” Miller is a secular activist and consultant. He was a founding director of the Secular Coalition for Alabama and served as that organization’s Executive Director. He is American Atheists Regional Director and a Life Member of that organization. His writing has appeared in American Atheist Magazine.

Advisory Board

Dr. Dedrick Blue is Dean of the Department of Religion and Theology of Oakwood University. He also serves as a board member at that institution and was Senior Pastor of the Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church in New York, NY.

Mandisa Lateefah Thomas is the co-founder and current President of Black Nonbelievers, Inc. a national social and activist organization founded in 2011.

How to support the film

Filmmakers are actively seeking financial support to fully examine this trend through a combination of crowdfunding, grant writing, and foundation support.

Follow @ExodusTheDoc on Twitter and retweet to your followers.

Like the Facebook page and share it with others. https://www.facebook.com/Exodus-the-Documentary-1618252915132943/

Contributions can be made by sending funds via PayPal.me/Exodoc.

Underwriters should contact the producers by email at exodusproducers@gmail.com or DM @ExodusTheDoc on Twitter.

Donors who provide $1,000 or more will receive recognition in the credits and institutions making larger grants will be recognized in the opening credits.

Currently, the North Alabama Freethought Association is acting as fiscal sponsor.

Links to Media

“Exodus” Sizzle Reel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jej6u9QCCOw

“Uncommon Courage: The Viola Liuzzo Story” https://beta.prx.org/stories/3383

“The Afro: Personal Reflections” https://beta.prx.org/stories/8759

North Korea Fires Missile; South Korea Responds by Firing Two Missiles

N. Korea fires missile from Pyongyang: S. Korean military

2017/09/15 07:11

SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) — North Korea launched an “unidentified” missile eastward from Pyongyang, South Korea’s military said Friday.

“North Korea fired an unidentified missile eastward from the vicinity of Pyongyang this morning,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. It added that South Korea and the United States are analyzing additional information.

S. Korea fires two ballistic missiles against N. Korea’s provocation

SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) — South Korea’s military said Friday it has fired two ballistic missiles in a swift response to North Korea’s latest provocation.

The Army shoot the Hyunmoo-2 missiles from an eastern site near the inter-Korean border just six minutes after the North’s missile firing from Pyongyang.

One “accurately hit” a simulated target in the East Sea about 250 kilometers away, a Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) official told reporters in a background briefing.

It’s the same distance between the training area and the Sunan airfield in Pyongyang, where the missile was fired.

The other, however, fell into water “in the initial stage,” he added. Related authorities are analyzing the reason.

South Korea's military fires a Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile into the East Sea on Sept. 15, 2017, in response to North Korea's missile launch in this photo provided by the Army. (Yonhap)

South Korea’s military fires a Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile into the East Sea on Sept. 15, 2017, in response to North Korea’s missile launch in this photo provided by the Army. (Yonhap)

A defense ministry official pointed out the South’s response came while the North’s missile was still flying.

He stressed that the military was able to take such a quick measure as it detected signs of the secretive North preparing to fire the missile in advance. Related information was immediately reported to President Moon Jae-in who ordered the missile training.

The JCS, meanwhile, strongly denounced the North for its brinkmanship.

It’s a blatant violation of the U.N. Security Council resolution against the regime and a serious threat to the peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the world.

The North will be fully held accountable for all consequences from its provocative acts, the JCS warned in a statement.

Courtesy Yonhap News Agency.

Ben Shapiro Protest: A People’s Speakout Against White Supremacy, Misogyny, Xenophobia & Fascism

Press Advisory 14 September 2017
RefuseFascism.org
Contact: Reiko Redmonde 510-712-6810
rredmonde@gmail.com / @sfrefusefascism

Sunsara Taylor available for interviews

Thursday September 14, 6pm Sproul Plaza on the UC Berkeley Campus

An outrageous cavalcade of fascist speakers is set to descend on the UC Berkeley campus: first up is former Breitbart editor Ben Shapiro, to be quickly followed by Milo Yiannopoulos’ “Free Speech Week” featuring fellow fascist provocateur, Ann Coulter and to be capped by an appearance by white supremacist and Neo-Nazi, former Trump Chief Strategist Steven Bannon.

Chancellor Carol Christ has cynically proclaimed this a “Free Speech Year” and announced an unprecedented lockdown of campus buildings, a militarized, heavily policed “perimeter” with ID checkpoints on Thursday to protect and provide a platform to Shapiro’s “Say No to Campus Thuggery” speech while seeking to clampdown on protest, all in the name of “free Speech”.

In opposition to this gross perversion of “free speech” and attempt to make UC Berkeley a police state, Refuse Fascism will host a People’s Speakout to take place simultaneous to Shapiro’s event.

The widely circulated invitation to this speakout reads:

NO, Ben Shapiro: The Problem is NOT “Campus Thuggery”
The Problem is Fascist Intellectual Thuggery in the service of the Trump/Pence Fascist Regime

A PEOPLE’S SPEAK OUT AGAINST WHITE SUPREMACY, MISOGYNY,
XENOPHOBIA & FASCISM
THE FIGHT FOR WHAT’S TRUE & WHAT WE MUST DO

Sproul Plaza, UC Berkeley, Thursday, Sept. 14th, 6pm

Sproul Plaza is where students, faculty, and all concerned people should be on September 14 when Ben Shapiro speaks at 7pm. Shapiro is coming to campus to spread ugly fascist views dressed up in slick-talking “intellectual” garb. Beneath his “reasonable” tone lies Shapiro’s real thuggery: Shapiro mocked Trayvon Martin on what would have been his 21st birthday, insists that being transgender is a “mental illness,” compares abortion to the Holocaust and thinks women should be forced to bear children against their will, argues that racial discrimination is not a “continuing factor in American life” and that poverty among Black people is not a result of racism but of Black culture, believes in a “clash of civilizations” and calls Islamic civilization “the polar opposite of the West,” wrote that “Arabs like to bomb crap and live in open sewage,” and more. This is harmful! He, along with fascists of many stripes, have targeted Berkeley because reversing Berkeley’s radical history would be a major advance for the consolidation of fascism on campuses everywhere and throughout society.

Fascists must NOT have an audience. DON’T GO. Or if you do go, WALK OUT when Shapiro starts to speak, and come to the Speak Out.

No, Chancellor Christ, speech by fascists and those who intellectually defend them is not what humanity needs and will not contribute to campuses acting as centers of critical thought and debate. Fascism already has a platform – the biggest and most powerful platform in the world: the White House! Not only do Trump, Pence, Sessions, Kelly, and the rest of the Regime constantly put forward fascist ideas about Muslims, immigrants, women, LGBTQ, Black people, people around the world, and more… they are using the power of the state – and unleashing the extra-legal mob – to destroy countless lives and threaten humanity as a whole.

What this moment in history requires is resistance to fascism, including discussion and debate over what fascism is, its roots, where it can lead, and what needs to be done to stop it. And, people – especially students – joining in the fight to drive the fascist Trump/Pence Regime from power! Stand up on Sept 14 and start getting organized for November 4th, when many thousands will take to the streets in cities and towns across the country, day after day and night after night, growing to millions and refusing to leave until our demand is met: This Nightmare Must End: The Trump/Pence Regime Must Go!

Contact Refuse Fascism to endorse, to speak or perform, or bring your class or organization to participate. EVERYONE, from a diversity of perspectives, who refuses to accept a fascist America is invited!

Sunsara Taylor is a writer for Revolution Newspaper and co-initiator of RefuseFascism.org who has sparred over years on Fox with Bill O’Reilly and other hosts, most recently with Tucker Carlson when she compared Trump to Hitler.

RefuseFascism.org is a nationwide movement that unites people of many perspectives and from all walks of life who recognize that the Trump/Pence Regime is a fascist regime that must be driven from power through the mass political protest of millions of people. In the name of humanity.

Ben Shapiro Live Stream Available: Link to Sign-up Here

Ben Shapiro at the University of California – Berkeley

This #onlyatYAF event will also be live streamed. Sign up to watch at YAF.org/LIVE.

Berkeley Police May Now Use Pepper Spray to Control Crowds: 20 Ban Overturned

Ahead of Ben Shapiro’s speech on September 14, 2017, and the upcoming Free Speech Week featuring Milo Yionnapoulos, Steve Bannon and Ann Coulter, Berkeley Police ask for an overturn of a 20-year ban on pepper spray as a means of crowd control. The Berkeley City Council approved the request.

Upcoming events at UC Berkeley:

Free Speech Week begins September 24, 2017

50,000-plus Worldwide Want this Ad Banned; Religious Insensitivity Cited

Petition description launched on Change.org:

This latest ad of Meat & Livestock Australia in the “You’ll Never Lamb Alone” series, it is very insensitive, irresponsible and total nonsense.

Not only it is defaming the religion, it is also highly inappropriate for, Hindu’s, Muslim’s and Buddhist’s as well. So to say all the religions.

Soon this 30-second ad, will be a part of a broader marketing strategy that will also include in-store promotions, billboards and social media posts.

This should be stopped immediately, it can not be accepted whatsoever. We urge to the PM of Australia to please look into this matter at the earliest before it catches eye of foreign media and embrace the racist image of the country world wide.

Here are a few of the comments left at the petition site Change.org in the past week (no corrections have been made for spelling or punctuation):

OMG! How can they make this ad it’s so high highly offensive to Hindu beliefs please stop this ad immediately! lord Ganesh is sacred & we worship him without meat!.Its like tabu to some Hindu’s Please be respectful to what others believe in or worship it’s sac religious  ❤JAI SRI GANESH ❤

Disgusting and racist act to show Indian god (Ganesha) having a drink and eat meat. This is a communal attack by few individuals which needs to be ceased immediately.

Very insensitive towards worlds ancient religions. Heads of these organisations should be held responsible and severely punished

Promoting the slaughter of any baby animal is disgusting. I don’t like any marketing of this nature but this

Anything in the public domain must take people’s sensitivities into account . This ad is very hurtful to my Hindu sentiments

This advertisement demonstrates a complete lack of cultural sensitivity and should be banned immediately.

All Indian Gods are vegitarian and showibg them eating meat is pure ignorance and insulting.

There wasnt any mohhamed in the Gods which also shouts partiality

This is against Hindu religion ideolgy

Its an insult to GODS OF HINDU by an Australian Company – Disgusting – Shame for Us we all Australians who are known for Non-Discriminating and Equal Opportunities among all who reside in Australia

It’s defaming. Why bring Gods image in ad.

I believe that Hinduism and Hindu Gods are being targeted by negative forces who are afraid that Hindustan might take over the world one day.

This is a very muted response. This only asks to stop this from going ahead any further. There is not even an apology demanded for the damage already done and emotions hurt.

Incorrect to have shows on different cultures with zero understanding.

This ad is offensive not just to Hindus but every religion. This has no place in civil society.

I believe in respecting the sentiments of people belonging to other religions and expect the same from them for my religion.

these rascals should be booked

I’m signing because it is offensive to make fun of any religion

This is totally unacceptable. Straight attack on a religious belief. Those who created this add are not suitable for their role

Never defame religions in your ads .

Its hurts.

This advertisement doesn’t have any meaning.

The did not get permission from other religions.

The bad thing is hurting the religious people who believe in God…

Not only it is defaming the religion, it is also highly inappropriate for, Hindu’s, Muslim’s and Buddhist’s as well. So to say all the religions

Those responsible should be awarded capital punishment.

It is highly inappropriate . It is against my religion & religious views. It depicts my deities in inappropriate way

Hindus should take a stand against the religious intolerance ad designed to mock u

I abhor this ad and this is racist too.

Don’t make fun of our gods

Violating and provoking the religious beliefs and culture.

Australia has developed into a wonderful country integrating people from so many countries, all living peacefully together

It is a pity when advertising can upset people’s beliefs, this should NOT be encouraged.

It is highly humiliating 

Insensitive and Condemnable

This pure insult to Hindus , why not have the porpht of ismile not included … afraid of Peacefool ?

Its against my Sanatan Dharma ,value system ,strictly objectionable n I condemn this ad

Shamefull ac. Request pm australia to take strict action against these people and the organisation

Because it is ridiculous. Get some knowledge of Santana dharma before doing such a sin….

This advert offends all Hindus by depicting one of our demigods eating meat which is completely against Hindu beliefs.

It is offensive and denies my rights to worship whomever I want

stop making fun of our god’s . And beg Lord Ganesha for pardon.

It is hurting the religious belief and values of over a billion Hindus as Lord/God Ganesha like all other Hindu Gods are considered pious and it is derogatory to associate him promoting lamb

Total shit!!! It needs to be stopped at any cost and the concerned people should apologise unconditionally for this.

Why you people don’t have respect of Hindu Gods…You are a demon.

stop using hindu gods to make marketing stunts,

Not appropriate to belief of millions of people.

Please don’t heart other religions aethist

This is ridiculous. The actor must have been in dire need of money to have even agreed to play the part.

Absolutely digusting!

It’s should been an Ad for good. Please do not hurt feelings of Hindus we believe in God.

I think seriously hurts Hindus.

This is offensive on so many levels. The terrible terrible terrible acting and rediculous script should be mentioned. In this time if global sensitivity it misses the mark and feels like a deliberate stunt to gain publicity.

This is unacceptable and disgraceful. Whoever had made this rubbish obviously has no sense of how to assimilate. There is more to inclusion other than just sharing a meal.

Hindus have always been submissive and social and hurting feelings with videos like this can cause a stir Kindly delete this video ! Would be obliged!!

The ad is offensive to many religious group

Do not use Hindu Gods to promote meat eating. This is downright offensive to the Hindu community.

I’m signing because firstly it is a big infringement of our religion and secondly, your making it look as if lord Ganesh is a novelty character

Hindus have great respect for Lord Ganesha and it is selfish to show it into a character form for advertising and humiliating . Very cheap media

Respect Every religion

Grossly insensitive to the religious sentiments of many people. Religious dieties, prophets, acclaimed messiah like figures should not be used as cheap advertising subject material.

This is extremely disrespectful and a clear violation of another person beliefs and respect.

Offensive at every level.

I strongly condem the act of this advert as it only has this hurt the Hindu community, but also because the advert has not understood the culture of Hinduism having to have Lord Ganesh. Not only will you receive more petitions but this will become a disgrace to your company and agenda for future !

It’s hateful. Against the Hindu religion

Depicting Lord Ganesha in meat eating environment is gross insult to Hiduism. It is a cheap way of advertising and insulting in my opinion.

This is termedousely disrespectful and a clear violation of another person beliefs and respect.

I’m signing because it’s against my relegion and my culture. It hurts the sentiment of Indian people. Ban it or else livestock will never be peace full In India.

This is totally disrespectful to Hindu God Ganesh and Hinduism as a whole. No Hindu sect allows consumption of Meat! This ad should be banned immediately…

It’s not acceptable to make fun of someone’s religious faith

This petition will be delivered to:

CEO – Advertising Standards Bureau
Fiona Jolly
Premier of Victoria
Daniel Andrews
Prime Minister of Australia
Malcolm Turnbull

Milo Announces Berkeley Free Speech Week September 24-27, 2017

According to Milo Yiannopoulos, Berkeley Free Speech Week will be a peaceful event with speakers and surprises at different locations on campus throughout each day. Berkeley Free Speech Week is open to all political ideologies, with speakers representing conservatives, libertarians, and even liberals.

Berkeley has proclaimed this to be a “free speech year” and Milo Yiannopoulos will host the event in conjunction with the Berkeley Patriots. Milo hopes to include other speakers previously banned from speaking at the campus. A full line-up of guests has not yet been announced, but on 9.12.17 Milo announced Steve Bannon will be joining him during Free Speech Week.

Each day of Berkeley Free Speech Week will have a theme:

Sunday, 9/24 — Feminism Awareness Day
Monday, 9/25 — Islamic Peace & Tolerance Day
Tuesday, 9/26 — ZUCK 2020
Wednesday, 9/27 — Mario Savio is Dead. MILO will present the first annual Mario Savio Award for Free Speech on Wednesday evening to close out Berkeley Free Speech Week.

———————————–

Violent protests forced Milo’s last appearance at UC Berkeley set for February 1, 2017.

The Daily Cal published footage of the protest.

Cinematography by Dapree Doyle Contact us at multimedia@dailycal.org

Milo recorded the following video on the night of the event after he was escorted away from the violence.

Lord Ganesha in Lamb Advertisement Hurts Religious Sentiments

The ad also includes Jesus, Scientology founder L. Rob Hubbard, Thor and Zeus. Titled “You Never Lamb Alone”, the ad was launched by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) on September 4, 2017.

Press Release:

High Commission of India
Canberra

The High Commission of India, Canberra, taking note of the protests of Indian community in Australia, have made a demarche to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Department of Communication and Arts and Department of Agriculture bringing to their notice an offensive advertisement by Meat and Livestock Australia that hurt the religious sentiments of the Indian community.

In a video advertisement released by Meat and Livestock Australia recently, Lord Ganesha along with other religious figures is found to be ‘toasting lamb’, which the Indian community consider to be offensive and hurting their religious sentiments.

The Consulate General of India in Sydney has taken up the matter directly with Meat and Livestock Australia and urged them to withdraw the advertisement.

A number of Community Associations have also registered their protest with Government of Australia and Meat and Livestock Australia.
****
Canberra
September 08, 2017

Ben Shapiro Event at Berkeley to be Countered with Speak Out Event

A PEOPLE’S SPEAK OUT AGAINST WHITE SUPREMACY, MISOGYNY, XENOPHOBIA AND FASCISM

THE FIGHT FOR WHAT’S TRUE &
WHAT WE MUST DO
Sproul Plaza, UC Berkeley Thursday Sept. 14th, 6pm

Who Is Refuse Fascism?

RefuseFascism.org is a movement of people coming from diverse perspectives, united in our recognition that the Trump/Pence Regime poses a catastrophic danger to humanity and the planet and that it is our responsibility to drive them from power. This means working and organizing with all our creativity and determination toward November 4 when many thousands of people will fill the streets of cities and towns, beginning a struggle that continues day after day and night after night, eventually involving millions of people, demanding: This Nightmare Must End: The Trump/Pence Regime Must Go!

The September 14, 2017 Event

Sproul Plaza is where students, faculty, and all concerned people should be on September 14 when Ben Shapiro speaks at 7pm on so-called “Campus Thuggery.” Shapiro is coming to campus to spread ugly fascist views dressed up in slick-talking “intellectual” garb. Beneath his “reasonable” tone lies Shapiro’s real thuggery: Shapiro mocked Trayvon Martin on what would have been his 21st birthday, insists that being transgender is a “mental illness,” compares abortion to the Holocaust and thinks women should be forced to bear children against their will, argues that racial discrimination is not a “continuing factor in American life” and that poverty among Black people is not a result of racism but of Black culture, believes in a “clash of civilizations” and calls Islamic civilization “the polar opposite of the West,” wrote that “Arabs like to bomb crap and live in open sewage,” and more. This is harmful! He, along with fascists of many stripes, have targeted Berkeley because reversing Berkeley’s radical history would be a major advance for the consolidation of fascism on campuses everywhere and throughout society.

Fascists must NOT have an audience. DON’T GO. Or if you do go, WALK OUT when Shapiro starts to speak, and come to the Speak Out.

There is NO moral “equivalence” between those seeking to impose white supremacy and fascism, and those fighting against this nightmare.

Berkeley Vows to Protect Free Speech Rights

“The law is very clear: Public institutions like UC Berkeley must permit speakers invited in accordance with campus policies to speak, without discrimination in regard to point of view.”–UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ in a message to the campus community on August 23. 2017

Dear students, faculty and staff,

This fall, the issue of free speech will once more engage our community in powerful and complex ways. Events in Charlottesville, with their racism, bigotry, violence and mayhem, make the issue of free speech even more tense. The law is very clear: Public institutions like UC Berkeley must permit speakers invited in accordance with campus policies to speak, without discrimination in regard to point of view. The United States has the strongest free speech protections of any liberal democracy; the First Amendment protects even speech that most of us would find hateful, abhorrent and odious, and the courts have consistently upheld these protections.

Berkeley, as you know, is the home of the Free Speech Movement, where students on the right and students on the left united to fight for the right to advocate political views on campus. Particularly now, it is critical that the Berkeley community come together once again to protect this right. It is who we are.But the most powerful argument for free speech is not one of legal constraint — that we’re required to allow it — but of value. The public expression of many sharply divergent points of view is fundamental both to our democracy and to our mission as a university. The philosophical justification underlying free speech, most powerfully articulated by John Stuart Mill in his book On Liberty, rests on two basic assumptions. The first is that truth is of such power that it will always ultimately prevail; any abridgement of argument therefore compromises the opportunity of exchanging error for truth. The second is an extreme skepticism about the right of any authority to determine which opinions are noxious or abhorrent. Once you embark on the path to censorship, you make your own speech vulnerable to it.

Nonetheless, defending the right of free speech for those whose ideas we find offensive is not easy. It often conflicts with the values we hold as a community — tolerance, inclusion, reason and diversity. Some constitutionally protected speech attacks the very identity of particular groups of individuals in ways that are deeply hurtful. However, the right response is not the heckler’s veto, or what some call platform denial. Call toxic speech out for what it is, don’t shout it down, for in shouting it down, you collude in the narrative that universities are not open to all speech. Respond to hate speech with more speech.

We all desire safe space, where we can be ourselves and find support for our identities. You have the right at Berkeley to expect the university to keep you physically safe. But we would be providing students with a less valuable education, preparing them less well for the world after graduation, if we tried to shelter them from ideas that many find wrong, even dangerous. We must show that we can choose what to listen to, that we can cultivate our own arguments and that we can develop inner resilience, which is the surest form of safe space. These are not easy tasks, and we will offer support services for those who desire them.

This September, Ben Shapiro and Milo Yiannopoulos have both been invited by student groups to speak at Berkeley. The university has the responsibility to provide safety and security for its community and guests, and we will invest the necessary resources to achieve that goal. If you choose to protest, do so peacefully. That is your right, and we will defend it with vigor. We will not tolerate violence, and we will hold anyone accountable who engages in it.

We will have many opportunities this year to come together as a Berkeley community over the issue of free speech; it will be a free speech year. We have already planned a student panel, a faculty panel and several book talks. Bridge USA and the Center for New Media will hold a day-long conference on Oct. 5; PEN, the international writers’ organization, will hold a free speech convening in Berkeley on Oct. 23. We are planning a series in which people with sharply divergent points of view will meet for a moderated discussion. Free speech is our legacy, and we have the power once more to shape this narrative.

Sincerely,

Carol Christ
Chancellor