American Nazi Party leader George Lincoln Rockwell has been invited to speak on campus. Despite his extreme, offensive views, the packed crowd in Zorn Arena sits in silence throughout the speech.

That’s what happened in 1967 when the Young Democrats and Republicans co-sponsored Rockwell to speak. There were protests from various groups and picketers outside, but inside, no one cheered, spoke or booed during the extremist’s speech.

The total silence demonstrated the non-support for Rockwell and the crowd’s intention not to engage in any disorder.

It also stands as a reminder today of the need to tolerate people’s right to free speech after questions were raised again as to what the university can do about offensive demonstrators.

As long as the demonstrators are outside and not barring anyone’s safe and free passage to any of the university’s buildings, Vice Chancellor Andrew Soll said people have the right to express their views.

Karl Andresen, Young Dems faculty adviser during the Rockwell speech, had to introduce Rockwell. Andresen, who retired in 1988, said he was torn between doing the right thing as far as the First Amendment and doing the wrong thing by introducing someone affiliated to Nazi ideology.

“That’s not a very comfortable position to be in,” said Andresen, who called the content of the speech preposterous.

Although the Eau Claire campus isn’t the sight of many protests and demonstrations, they do stir up emotions and questions if it can be stopped.

“If you want to come and stand on the clock tower and say something, people have the right to be there,” said Erin Brandt, Student Senate vice president.

Last fall, preachers who gave views on topics like homosexuality were found offensive by many students.

Brandt said the university received complaints from last week’s demonstrator against abortion rights, but received more on the preachers. Both were brought up at Chancellor’s Roundtable discussions.

“What we find offensive doesn’t mean we have the right to interfere with someone’s right to free speech,” Soll said. “Basically, the First Amendment overrules what some people might like to see in the view of limitations.”

Soll said school officials would step in if a protester did or said anything truly threatening.

When the preachers spoke, Soll said people from Schofield were outside monitoring it, not to control its content, but to respond quickly if things got out of bounds.

“You have to know if something is brewing,” Soll said. “We also have to be protective of their right to give their opinion.”

Leonard Gambrell, political science professor, said the students who threw bottles and spit at the preachers probably didn’t bother them, but motivate them.

“Being tormented by the crowd makes him realize what he’s doing is right,” Gambrell said. “If you don’t like something, go away from it.”

Overall, Soll said it’s healthy for the campus to be exposed to views of protests and other ideas.

“If that kind of dialogue can’t take place at a university, then I don’t know where it could take place.”