_EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a letter to the editor written by a member of the MU community who is not part of The Maneater’s staff. It is not the opinion of The Maneater or its editorial board. In accordance with our letters policy, we publish every letter submitted to us barring personal attacks or hate speech; we welcome responses to this and everything we publish via a letter or in our comments section._
As many of us know, Speakers Circle is an integral part of campus where organizations can fundraise and can reach out to the Mizzou community for events and other subjects. It is also a place where most anyone can speak without a permit, and though I think that is a good thing, sometimes it can go a little too far. Lately as I’ve been passing through I’ve seen the usual run of the mill Jesus people trying to convert and “save” us all from the sin of college campus. I’m not surprised that they’re there, though I think they’re fairly ineffective when it comes to actually converting people, but I am surprised at the hatred and vitriol some of them direct at Mizzou students who try to engage them in conversations and ask questions. One man I saw would talk over a person with his microphone and yell into it so that they couldn’t be heard if they asked a legitimate question or tried to refute a point. An “open discussion” quickly turned into a monologue in which one person was told that they were “hated by God” and another told that they “weren’t a true Christian” because they didn’t agree with everything that was being claimed. When I asked the man to let some others speak as it was supposed to be a discussion I was told to get down on my knees and repent to God for interrupting.
This goes too far. I respect their right to speak about their faith, but I do not think they have the right to project hatred on the campus and on its students. They aren’t inciting violence, but they are speaking with a vitriol that I’m not sure should be allowed on our grounds. Being told that we are going to hell, and that we are hated by God because of our views, our orientations, or other factors is blatant hate-speech and if it were done by a student on campus the student would most likely face consequences. I’ve been told to leave my family, I’ve been told that this school is a lie and that I should leave it because it will get me nowhere. I’ve been told that my parents don’t love me, and that the people I love are meaningless. These people were also outside Speakers Circle and had gone all the way down to the fountain near the student center. That kind of thing isn’t what should be allowed on campus. Speaking on a subject to educate is one thing, but targeting people with hurtful words is something that I urge the University to take steps against.
_Hollie Burrows, hcbzr6@mail.missouri.edu_
