The past few years’ students on the IU Union Board have worked hard to bring political diversity to campus. 2006 saw Ann Coulter and 2005 brought Gen. Wesley Clark, David Horowitz and Al Sharpton. However, this year diversity at IU may be in jeopardy.\nThe Union Board Lecture Committee is in the process of bringing former Vice President Al Gore to IU at an estimated cost of $150,000. Alone, this is not an issue. However this price tag comes at the cost of bringing a more moderate to conservative speaker of equal or near-equal celebrity to campus.\nThe inconvenient truth about this inconvenient speaker is Al Gore comes at the loss of diversity and at the cost of lending credence toward the image of the “liberal indoctrination” so often associated with universities. I believe IU has risen above this stereotype before and must do so again. If Al Gore really feels strongly about speaking at universities, he should come at half the price to make room in the budget for a more diverse schedule of lecturers.
David White\nChairman\nIU College Republicans
