Sheriff Clark Disinvited from University Speech, Campus Official Lied

Sheriff David Clark was scheduled to speak at New Haven University.  He had been invited, and had accepted the invitation.  After the University considered the political ramifications, the person who invited him, Patrick Malloy, came up with a face saving excuse to revoke the invitation.  He said that Sheriff Clark made extravagant demands, such as requiring a “presidential suite” to speak at the event. Sheriff Clark produced emails that showed the arrangements and correspondence. The excuse was false. It compounded the lie with the injustice of smearing Sheriff Clark as being unreasonable and greedy. From the University of New Haven facebook.com:

I would like to apologize and take responsibility for my actions that have compromised the University of New Haven and put the community in a difficult position with regard to my discussions with Sheriff David Clarke to speak at the University.

I approached Sheriff Clarke in June about speaking at the Markle Symposium. In the subsequent weeks, I exchanged multiple emails with his assistant about logistics. I was not completely accurate, though, with the information I shared with University officials. I indicated that Sheriff Clarke made a series of demands around his travel arrangements. I unintentionally misrepresented what the Sheriff asked for.

Ultimately, in collaboration with the dean of the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, we decided not to finalize his arrangements to visit campus when it was determined his appearance could potentially become politically polarizing in light of the imminent presidential election. My colleagues and I in the Lee College determined that this talk would be more appropriate for another time.

Sheriff Clark is an outspoken defender of the Second Amendment, and a blunt critic of Black Lives Matter (BLM).

Sheriff Clark says that when his assistant was contacted about the cancellation, he was told that it was because Sheriff Clark has vocally opposed Black Lives Matter.  From fox61.com:

According to Clarke, his assistant was told by a representative at UNH that it was due to his very vocal in his stance against the Black Lives Matter movement, which he refers to as Black Lies Matter.
“The gentleman was very apologetic, he was sincere, he felt bad about having to make the call but he said they were pulling back the invitation and were dis-inviting,” Sheriff Clark told FOX 61 over the phone. “He said people at the university didn’t like some of the things I’ve said about Black Lives Matter.”

The only reason this is being discussed is that the alumni and students got word of the cancellation at New Haven and were not happy about it. A student, Brian Shamrock started a petition to force an apology.  New Haven University is felt the heat, and were compelled to offer the explanation.  According to bluelivesmatter.blue:

Sheriff Clarke had recently impressed a Senior Lecturer, Patrick Malloy, who saw him speak at the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators-Connecticut Chapter, Spotlight on Fraud IV Training Conference. As a result, on June 24, 2016, Sheriff David Clarke was invited to be the keynote speaker.

I feel for Patrick Malloy.  He was put in a difficult position. He thought he could invite a prominent Sheriff to speak about forensics at a Criminal Justice and Forensics school without checking with Black Lives Matter and the censors of political correctness. He did not know that Sheriff Clark supported the Second Amendment.  He did not know the Sheriff opposed BLM. As a plus, the Sheriff was black and a great speaker. It was a big mistake.

I suspect he was under tremendous pressure to prevent Sheriff Clark from appearing.  The intimidation, threats, and criminal activity at Black Lives Matter protests is enough to place significant pressure on anyone, but especially someone who did not understand that it would be deployed against them, when they made an innocent decision.

The smear may have been unintentional.  Malloy says it was.

It is the insidious form of censorship known as political correctness.

A Senior Lecturer at New Haven University, Patrick Malloy, smears a black sheriff for political purposes, to stop him from speaking. And he gets a pass.  It appears that Malloy was well intended, but he and the college succumbed to the thuggish tactics of BLM.

It does not bode well for the future of the United States.

 ©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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