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(Video: Fox News)
Texas gubernatorial candidate and CEO of The Hope Center, Army Lt. Col. Allen West (ret.) delivered a speech at the University of Buffalo on Thursday titled “America is Not Racist: Why American Values are Exceptional.”
However, his attempt to bring his own success story to light and inspire others was met by unruly leftist students who protested loudly against his presence and went so far as to chase down the organizer of the event and harass her.
West joined Fox News’ “Fox and Friends Weekend” on Sunday and recounted the experience to host Will Cain, saying of the ill-advised student protestors, “These kids want to be victims.”
“I’m part of the speaker group with the Young America’s Foundation, and I go in and to talk to these conservative students on these campuses about these many different topics, and this topic was about race and American exceptionalism. And prior to me even getting there, the posters that were announced in my coming were being ripped out, and I was on ‘Fox & Friends’ early on Wednesday to talk about that.”
“But, you know, I’ve been in combat and of course, I was not concerned, but I was concerned about the safety of the students that are there at the University of Buffalo. But the fact is this: Y’all just had a segment talking about free speech. You know, as I explained to those students, I was born 61 years ago in a blacks-only hospital. And I grew up in the same inner-city Atlanta neighborhood that produced Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”
He continued, “My elementary school was right across the street from Ebenezer Baptist Church. So if you want to talk about race and American exceptionalism, why shouldn’t a black man that was born 61 years ago in a blacks-only hospital, that rose through the ranks to become a lieutenant colonel when his dad was just a corporal in the segregated Army, became a member of the United States House of Representatives. But these kids want to be victims. They don’t want to hear that. They’re very militant, they’re very radical, and I’m glad that we exposed them.”
Appearing also on Fox News Radio’s “The Brian Kilmeade Show” Tuesday, West recalled, “As a matter of fact, they were very disruptive, and I think people have seen now that it was a mob, it was radical, it was militant, and I had to be escorted off of the campus by police officers. And then after that, they turned their angst against many of those conservative students that were there who had invited me to come and speak.”
Cain pointed out that instances like the protests against West’s speech in Buffalo demonstrate how illiberal the left-wing faction in the U.S. actually is. He cited the recent “disinformation” conference as another example. In both cases, conservative thought and questioning of leftist narratives are considered anathema and must be stamped out. Yet, the liberal arm of politics in America has historically espoused that free speech must be revered and protected.
West was not the only victim of harassment at the assembly. Young Americans for Freedom president Therese Purcell claimed she feared for her life at the event in an interview Monday with “Fox & Friends.”
“I’m very afraid of what would have happened if I hadn’t been able to avoid them. I don’t think they were going to do anything remotely peaceful. They were a very angry mob, and they were clearly saying that they were trying to chase me, that they wanted to capture me,” she said.
“I was really afraid for my life since they physically assaulted my friend, and like I said, they were screaming, no peace,” Purcell said, adding she eventually sought refuge in a bathroom and dialed 911 for help.
The irony was not lost on West, whom police were compelled to escort away from campus after the speech for his own safety.
“Here I am having to be escorted off a university campus and being screamed at by black students who still want to talk about how they’re oppressed. How does their behavior solve anything?” he asked.
BREAKING: A mob of leftists attempted to shut down YAF’s @AllenWest lecture at UBuffalo tonight.
This story is developing. pic.twitter.com/rGrsfAJGxS
— YAF (@yaf) April 8, 2022
The University released a statement regarding the incident:
“As a public university, all members of the UB community and invited guests have a right to peacefully express their views and opinions, regardless of whether others may disagree. This includes the right of individuals to oppose the views or opinions of others—including peaceful protests—but not in such a way as to limit or prevent the speaker’s freedom of expression or interfere with university operations.”
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Frank (Chip) Webster is a musician and composer, former teacher of percussion and U.S. Army Infantry veteran. He holds a degree in English from Arizona State University.
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