UPDATE:
9 p.m. Protesters begin departing from Franklin Hall. To read full coverage of both the speech and protests, follow these links.
7:20 p.m. Amid protestors chanting outside Franklin Hall and police officers lining the walls inside, political scientist, author and libertarian Charles Murray spoke about the new upper class and how Donald Trump was elected Tuesday evening.
Chants of “Charles Murray, go away” and “fuck Charles Murray” were clearly audible through the limestone walls of the building. Early in his speech, Murray paused and asked speakers to listen past the shouting and said he would do his best to ignore them, as well.
About 70 people were seated and listened to Murray speak, many of which said they wished the protesters outside had been more respectful of Murray’s speech.
Judy Woodley, a Bloomington resident, attended the talk with her husband, Robert. The pair were first in the line at the Sample Gates for the event. After the event, the Woodleys said they wished the students had kept quiet during the speech and come in to listen instead.
“I think they would have learned something if they had had an open mind and listened," she said. "They don’t have to agree. That goes for me, too.”
5:30 p.m. The Indiana Daily Student uncovered several details about IU's lead-up and preparation for Charles Murray, the conservative social scientist and author.
The IU Police Department confirmed with IDS reporters that Murray was invited to speak at IU before either of the protests at Middlebury College and the University of Notre Dame. Murray attempted to speak at both schools. At Middlebury he was thwarted by violent protests.
Franklin Hall was chosen as the venue because it has a limited number of classes in the building at that time, a University spokesperson said via email. Media School administration found out last Friday the event would be in Presidents Hall, David Ellis, the assistant to the dean of the Media School, said. Because Charles Murray’s visits have led to protests and in some cases violence, IUPD made the decision to have additional officers there to protect everyone involved, according to University spokesperson Margie Smith-Simmons. ESG security was also brought in to provide more protection to Murray, attendees and protesters.
Conservative think tank AEI coordinated the event alongside the Tocqueville Program for democratic theory, an IU program. Presidents Hall booking rates typically go for $4,000 an event, according to Ellis. It is unclear how much Murray's visit cost, when his talk was booked, and who paid the bill. At the time of this update, IU and IU Auditorium spokespersons did not disclose this information.
Murray speaks in Franklin Hall at 6 p.m. and protests are expected to occur outside. Follow us for live coverage.
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With little official publicity for the event, students are making their own statement about Tuesday’s talk headlined by conservative social scientist Charles Murray. Some are reserving tickets and leaving their chairs empty.
Others are taking it a step further.
Senior Stella Shaffer burned her ticket on Facebook Live after receiving the ticket at the IU Auditorium. The tickets are free, and many students are picking them up just so others can’t go.
“The University is letting him plant his ideological seeds in the minds of students, and that’s really reprehensible,” Shaffer said.
Murray is considered a white nationalist by the Southern Poverty Law Center. He is known for beliefs of white genetic superiority outlined in his controversial book “The Bell Curve,” which states that social welfare programs are designed for failure and that differences in race and ethnicity result in higher or lower levels of intelligence.
He will speak at 6 p.m. in Franklin Hall. The event was not organized by the University as a whole but is sponsored by the American Enterprise Institute Executive Council at IU, a student group affiliated with a conservative think tank, and the Tocqueville Program for democratic theory, an IU program.
Political science graduate students Rafael Khachaturian and Mike Kovanda wrote an open letter against both the event and the University’s lack of a public statement.
“The University must realize the magnitude of his presence here,” Khachaturian said. “The fact that they have not really taken the time to construct a response to the concerns that are being raised is problematic.”
Although students do not want to censor all viewpoints that may differ from their own, they believe Murray’s statements harms the IU community, the open letter said.
“It is important to value free speech,” Khachaturian said.
As of Monday evening, more than 170 students, faculty, alumni and community members had signed their names on Khachaturian’s open letter.
In addition to Khachaturian’s open letter, the English Graduate Solidarity Coalition is planning peaceful protests outside Franklin Hall before and during Murray’s talk.
Murray’s recent appearances at the University of Notre Dame, Middlebury College and other schools have also led to protests and, in some instances, have led to physical violence. At Middlebury, Murray’s faculty escort was attacked while attempting to move the event to a different location to broadcast Murray’s talk, according to an article from the Boston Globe.
AEI executive council member and sophomore Katherine Hitchcock said the group expected criticism because of the recent incidences but invited Murray because of his “prescient analysis on the politics of today.”
Murray’s writing is often positively reviewed and cited in research, Hitchcock said. It is used by people all across the political spectrum.
“We would hope that IU possesses a bit more respect for the event, for the community, and for the future of free exchange and intellectual inquiry at the University,” Hitchcock said in an email.
Hitchcock said she did not speak on behalf of AEI. University spokespersons declined to comment on the event.
There is no event information on the IU Auditorium website or in any emails where public events are usually circulated. An email that went out to the political science department contained details, but it was not sent to all IU students.
Entry to the talk is free, but students must pick up tickets in the IU Auditorium box office beforehand.
The student’s name is printed on the ticket, and a lime green half-sheet of paper tells ticket holders that their passes are non-transferable. Students must bring their IU ID, and they will not be permitted to enter without the ticket they were previously issued, the information sheet reads. Students cannot bring food, drinks or bags of any kind.
IU Police Department officers will be stationed at the doors to Franklin Hall, which will be locked except for the entrance next to the Student Building, according to security emails sent to the Indiana Daily Student. From 4 to 7 p.m., all students with classes in Franklin Hall will need to show ID to enter. To make sure only the pre-approved people enter the building, the names of these students will be given to IUPD before the event.
IUPD Lt. Andy Stephenson said police do not expect the Murray talk to be any more dangerous than other similar events for which the department has worked security.
Despite students’ claims that IUPD is trying to stifle protesters’ free-speech rights, Stephenson said the police want to use their presence to protect all parties.
“We want everyone to be safe,” Stephenson said. “We want everyone to be heard.”
Hannah Boufford contributed reporting.
