Horowitz debates slavery reparations advocate in a packed McCosh 50
In a heated debate last night, Dorothy Lewis ? a leader in the movement for reparations for slavery ? and David Horowitz ? the movement's most outspoken antagonist ? presented their views to a packed McCosh 50.The debate was sparked by Horowitz's recent campaign to place advertisements ? titled "Ten Reasons Why Reparations for Slavery is a Bad Idea ? and Racist Too" ? in college newspapers.In an interview before the debate, Lewis, who is co-chair of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America, called Horowitz's ads "a dishonor to the memory of the millions of [black] lives that have been lost [to slavery]."Last month, The Daily Californian at the University of California-Berkeley printed Horowitz's ad, but apologized for printing an ad they perceived to be racist after widespread campus protests.Horowitz ? author and president of the Center for the Study of Popular Culture ? was adamant in his stance, calling students "little left-wing fascists" for rejecting his views they perceived to be too conservative.At the outset of his opening statements, Horowitz criticized University history professor Sean Wilentz for supporting some issues but refraining to contribute to a "civil discourse" on the issue of reparations.Horowitz attacked the idea of reparations ? the issue that has brought him national prominence.