Despite outrage from police unions and pressure from Governor Deval Patrick, the University of Massachusetts has decided to continue with a scheduled speech by former terrorist Ray Luc Lavasseur.
Lavasseur served 18 years in federal prison for a series of bombings and robberies connected with the radical revolutionary group “United Freedom Front.” As the defendant in America’s last major sedition trial, where he was acquitted, Lavasseur was invited to Amherst to discuss his life and the historic trial. Since being released on parole in 2004, Lavasseur has spoken at a number of colleges including Temple, Columbia and the University of Southern Maine.
Citing pressure from police unions and a call from the Governor’s office, the University of Massachusetts initially cancelled Lavasseur’s appearance. But yesterday, after protests from faculty and the ACLU, his invitation was reissued.
For quality education to reign at the University of Massachusetts, campus programming should be in the hands of educators and students, not politicians and their agendas. We’re happy that the University eventually rejected Governor Patrick’s attempts to subordinate a campus event to his own political considerations. But we wish they would have stood firmly for Academic Freedom from the start.