To the editor:

In the nearly 20 years my family and I have lived in Lawrence, I have always been proud to call it home. After the events that occurred during Ann Coulter’s speech at the Lied Center, however, I am embarrassed for the entire city.

I can only imagine that those who went to see Coulter speak for the purpose of heckling her did not stop to consider two things: first, that they would embarrass themselves, and second, that they would embarrass their city.

Lawrence residents have long embraced the diverse opinions of those who live here. Various opinions from all walks of life influence the way the city grows, spends and interacts. What happened during Coulter’s speech could not have been farther from what the residents of Lawrence should expect from its citizens. The disrespectful words and actions of those who disagreed with Coulter could have been voiced in a calm and rational manner. Instead, they were shouted in the most reprehensible way possible, upsetting the speaker, the attendees and the entire community.

The purpose of the Vickers Lecture series is to discuss differing viewpoints, and help to portray Kansas University as a true marketplace of ideas. What kind of a message are we sending to the outside world when we appear so judgmental and close-minded that we cannot even hear those ideas before we make decisions about their validity? Perhaps the hecklers should have thought about what makes Lawrence the type of town people want to speak in before they decided to ruin that distinction.

Corey Smith,

Lawrence