To the editors:

The Crimson reported Monday that the Undergraduate Council voted overwhelmingly to approve a $210 grant for the walkout proposed by the Harvard Initiative for Peace and Justice (HIPJ) (News, “Council Allocates Funds To Walk Out”). Council member Jason L. Lurie ’05 framed the debate as a first amendment issue by saying “All of a sudden, the conservatives on the council are saying, ‘We don’t like free speech!’ How dare you!”

The Harvard Republican Club (HRC) finds this free speech argument rather odd given that HIPJ intends to use the grant to purchase a megaphone. A measurement of free speech on campus ought to consider the diversity of views expressed rather than the decibel level at which they are uttered. The council, however, holds the addition of a megaphone to be a valuable contribution to the “educational experience” of walking out on classes.

We find the funding of the synthetic amplification of our opponents to be unacceptably disadvantageous. Consequently, the HRC will request a similar grant from the council for an intended “Support Our Troops” rally should war break out. We find the consideration of volume as an element of free speech curious, but we hope the council will see fit to level the playing field.

Jeffrey P. Clemens ’05

March 10, 2003

The writer is the treasurer of the Harvard Republican Club.