Angela Davis does not represent King's vision

I didn't desire to write this commentary, but I did. The SEMO Board of Regents sets "policy" for the University. As a former member of the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents, I respect the difficult duties of the Board and have therefore refrained from criticizing any university policy matters for almost 20 years. The Board has a tough job, a thankless job, but an important job. It is a job that must be done, no dodging allowed!

I was amazed when I read that communist Angela Davis had been invited to speak on campus at the annual Martin Luther King Dinner. Still yet, I quietly asked questions, hoping the Board would correct the mistake in granting that privilege. I can remain silent no more.

Being afforded a university "platform" to speak is a privilege of great magnitude and should be bestowed only upon responsible speakers. Davis is, and always has been opposed to Dr. King's beliefs. She is for the violent overthrow of the U.S. government (Communist and Black Panther Parties) in direct conflict with Dr. King's No. 1 belief of peaceful protest. In fact, when Dr. King discovered that members of his staff had once belonged to the Communist Party (Jack O'Dell and Stanley Levison), he promptly fired them. Those students at the dinner will be our "best and brightest." Their future is best without Davis' Communist "hammer and sickle." Dr. King was opposed to government oppression (including "Jim Crow", as well as communism).

During the 1970s, Davis visited many communist countries that were providing comfort and military supplies to kill American soldiers, all the while ignoring the "civil rights" of citizens in those countries who were tortured and their rights suppressed. Davis was quoted as saying "They deserve what they get. Let them remain in prison." Davis as a supporter of civil rights? Does no one study history? Angela Davis, the violent communist, as the Keynote speaker at the King Dinner? What a sick joke! What an insult to Dr. King's beliefs. Remember, Mao killed six times as many Chinese as Hitler killed Jews -- all in the name of Davis' communism!

The argument that free speech is best represented by SEMO providing a platform to any person, to say anything on the SEMO campus is specious at best. University President, Dr. Carlos Vargas recently appropriately diffused a racist campaign at the River Campus. Such speech was not allowed by the university. Good job Carlos! The SEMO student newspaper (Arrow) contained the following quote from Debra Lee Distefano, professor of Spanish explaining the Angela Davis invitations, "(The MLK committee's) goal is to look at figures who they feel represent the true, complete legacy of Dr. King." Oh, really? The Campus Cong is alive and well. Dr. King's legacy has been hijacked.

The Board of Regents must at times delegate actions to persons and committees on campus, otherwise they would be on duty 365 days per year. However, ignorant (lack of knowledge) decisions producing this type of results must be corrected by the Board and not permitted to become the policy of the university. Ask yourself, "What's next?" Neo Nazis on President's Day?

Davis' invitation provides a platform to a hateful, violence promoting communist. This is not representative of Dr. King! That's bad policy for the future of the University and insults Dr. King's legacy. Shame on Southeast Missouri State University.

Mark Pelts served on the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents from 1991-1994. He resides in Kennett, Missouri.