Steve Bannon Invited to Speak at UChicago

A group of University of Chicago students and faculty gathered earlier this morning to protest the decision to invite Steve Bannon on campus to speak. According to Newsweek, the Booth School of Business invited the former White House adviser to debate “the economic benefits of immigration and globalization” with a field expert. Although a date was not set, some professors and students insist that Bannon’s appearance will give “bigoted rhetoric legitimacy,” according to the Chicago Tribune. Some professors have even jumped to say that the university’s decision must be “associated with the white supremacist movement,” and is insensitive to their “communal responsibility to minority students.”

UChicago officials have reported that the invitation to Bannon is a reflection of their commitment to freedom of speech and expression. According to the Chicago Maroon, the university holds a firm policy that faculty members may invite anyone they please to come and speak. Facing the protests today, it still seems that UChicago stands behind their position.

If Steve Bannon accepts the invitation, it will be his first public speech since he stepped down from Breitbart. Let’s see how this unfolds.