by Sara Russo

Administrators at Villanova University have been accused of resorting to threats and intimidation in an attempt to bar conservative political commentator Tom Adkins from introducing Charlton Heston at a recent campus event held on February 14th. The University claims that its opposition to Adkins stems from harsh language Adkins used in a letter to the Villanova Times which was interpreted by the administration as constituting a threat of physical violence to a student.

Adkins, a personal friend of Villanova Times editor-in-chief Chris Lilik who organized the Heston event, had written to the Times in response to a charge from liberal student activist Vasavi Reddy, who accused the Times of exhibiting "a lack of concern to portray positive images" of black students at Villanova. Reddy took issue with the photographic quality of some images of black student athletes published in the Times. "Their bodies appeared to be black, disfigured masses with faces that were completely unrecognizable," she charged.

Despite acknowledging the lack of racist bias in the Times' photography, Reddy used inflammatory language to claim that the photos were harmful to blacks at Villanova.

"Such derogatory and humiliating images of African-American students, even though caused by poor photography and not racist intent, continue and increase the image that African-American Villanova students are faceless athletes on athletic scholarships that just sit around and drink beer," she wrote.

In response to Reddy's allegations, Adkins wrote to the Times calling Reddy a "race-baiter" and claiming that her letter supported a racist point of view. "She is convinced anyone who isn't white is somehow inferior, and cannot possibly survive without her help. What an insult! Are people of color so helpless?" Adkins wrote. "But the 'Chicken Little' effect offers the greatest danger, as vapid attacks such as Reddy's trivialize real racism. Eventually nobody pays attention and the real racists gain the upper hand."

The commentator continued, "To be sure, there are racists in the world, racists and race-baiters like Reddy should be attacked, smashed, and utterly defeated wherever we find them. Reddy's race-baiting is nothing less than racial McCarthyism."

Administrators at Villanova were upset at the violent language used in Adkins' letter, and determined that it constituted a physical threat.

Lilik responded to the controversy in the Villanova Times. "To be fair, Adkins used strong language in his letter. In a free society people use metaphors and strong language all the time," he stated. "Vasavi Reddy's language was also strong. Did Villanova interview Reddy and demand civility? No. I would never expect them to. In the battle of ideas people will use strong language all the time."

"However, at Villanova we have a double standard," Lilik continued. "Vasavi Reddy's hurtful comments stood unchecked (and to be honest, I would have defended Vasavi Reddy's right to engage in unflattering and inaccurate characterization). But oh how bold they were when a conservative spoke out against Vasavi Reddy!"

This boldness, according to Lilik, is epitomized by the University's attempts to "strong-arm" him into removing Adkins from the program of the Heston event. Lilik and others at the Villanova Times organized the Heston event and arranged for sponsorship via non-university sources.

Specifically, Lilik alleges that Villanova's Director of Student Development Tom Mogan, Assistant Vice-President of Student Life Kathy Byrnes, and Vice-President of Student Life Father John Stack undertook various measures to ensure that Adkins did not speak at the forum "Stretching the realms of English language, Stack, Mogan, and Byrnes decided that the obvious metaphor Adkins used in his letter was a physical threat, and demanded I remove Adkins from the program," Lilik states in his editorial. "I told them that this was my event and he would be speaking. The threats of canceling Mr. Heston's visit or physically barring Adkins from appearing on campus followed shortly thereafter."

Secondary issues relating to the administration's handling of the Heston event abound. Before and during Heston's speech, protestors were permitted to stand on either side of the corridor leading into the room where Heston would speak. The Villanova Times described the set-up, stating, "Those wishing to see Heston speak had to walk through a gauntlet-like setting."

Additionally, it is clear from an article in The Villanovan, a longstanding student paper that competes with the Times, that Villanova funded the protestors of Heston's speech, despite refusing to help Lilik fund Heston's visit. "The Center for Peace and Justice Education will be funding all costs associated with the protests," states the Villanovan, attributing this information to Reddy.

The center's own website states that "The Center for Peace and Justice Education is a member of the Colleges of Arts and Sciences at Villanova." Courses offered by the center include "Ecofeminism" and "Caring for the Earth."

This is not the first time that Lilik has been involved in a dispute with Villanova's administration. Last year, Mogan confiscated the entire press run of The Conservative Column, a Villanova student paper then headed by Lilik, because it contained a pro-life ad picturing an aborted fetus. Following intense media scrutiny, Mogan eventually was forced to return the issues. In that instance, Mogan was caught on tape by Lilik's answering machine alleging that there were "serious concerns about the content" of the paper.

Mogan, Byrnes, and Stack were not available for comment, but Assistant Vice President for Public Relations Barbara Clement issued a statement claiming that the University welcomed Heston's appearance on campus and assisted Lilik by providing numerous services to guarantee the event's success. "Lilik indicated that he felt Charlton Heston was not welcomed on this campus by the administration of the University," the statement read. "Lilik's claims simply are without merit."

Regarding the matter of Adkins' role in the Heston event, Clement makes special note of the fact that Adkins was not a student and not part of "the campus community." "This Mr. Adkins had made some statements in a newspaper that frankly were very defaming to one of our students," she stated, referring to his remarks about Reddy.

But Lilik counters that Adkins helped to organize the Heston event, and asserts that it is not the University's place to dictate who is allowed to speak at a privately-funded event. "I personally arranged through my hard work to get Charlton Heston to come here," Lilik told Campus Report. "Then the University has the nerve to tell me I can't have Tom Adkins speak because he defends me after somebody calls me a racist? It's totally absurd."

As to Lilik's claims that the administration tried to "strong-arm" him into dis-inviting Adkins, a second statement issued by the university disputes that claim:
"Shortly after the letter was published in the Villanova Times, Chris Lilik informed the administration that Adkins would introduce Heston. This plan caused great concern because 1) the administration feared that Adkins' appearance would detract from the Heston event, and 2) given the mean-spirited tone of his remarks against the student, the administration felt it was inconsistent with the University's Mission to extend its hospitality to Adkins at that time. The administration strongly suggested to Lilik that he should find someone else to introduce Heston."

When Lilik refused to abandon Adkins, the administration persisted in attempting to keep the commentator from appearing at the event. The statement issued by Villanova describes the course that the administration then took: "As a result, an administrator called Adkins on February 9, 2001 and Adkins agreed not to introduce Heston. Several days later, Adkins recanted."

The conflict was ultimately resolved by Heston and his entourage, who were informed of the controversy when they arrived on campus, and declined to have Adkins introduce Heston. Lilik took over the role that Adkins would have played, and the event proceeded smoothly. Lilik alleges that, "Mogan fed Mr. Heston's security people lies about racial unrest taking place if Adkins spoke" while Clement denies that the administration contacted Heston.

Lilik was pleased that Heston's speech was a success, but remains disappointed by Villanova's administration. "The whole reason that Charlton Heston is here is to celebrate diversity of thought," he noted. "It's disappointing that Villanova's cowardly administration decided to censor Tom Adkins for standing up against race-baiting and racism instead of welcoming free speech."