Kate Obenshain, conservative political commentator and frequent guest on Fox News, will speak on the status of women, free speech and faith in America on Tuesday.
Her lecture will address the limitations of free speech for conservative groups by the liberal administration. By using examples like the recent Internal Revenue Service controversy, which revealed that the IRS had targeted conservative groups with intensive scrutiny who were applying for tax-exempt status, Obenshain will attempt to reveal how conservative viewpoints are routinely stifled by liberal agendas and media.
“I hope (the audience) sees some of the background that they don’t hear a lot,” said Laura Hirt, sophomore in economics. “I think Kate will just help students understand what they’re hearing from the media and give sort of both sides to a lot of arguments we hear one side of.”
Obenshain will present an argument for limited government and her belief that gender inequality issues in America are largely fictitious, created by ambiguity in data and biased media reports.
Hirt, a self-identified young conservative and executive board member of the University of Tennessee’s Young Americans for Freedom chapter, said she fully supports Obenshain’s claims.
“A lot of the debate over the wages of women, the statistics behind that are not very clear at all,” Hirt said. “Often it’s because women have taken time off to take care their families. It’s because of the jobs women have chosen not because there’s some underlying inequality between women and men.”
Diana Howell, sophomore in political science and executive board member for YAF, hopes students of all political parties will attend the event, stating that a diverse audience is crucial for mutual understanding of values and a greater dialogue on the issues.
“If you are liberal, I think it’s so important that we just create an understanding to see where the conservative beliefs are,” Howell said.
Howell also sees the lecture as an opportunity to educate students who may have misinformation on the current political situation in America.
“People are just not informed about the facts,” Howell said. “I think this is just another step we can take to start informing people.”
Although the Young Americans for Freedom invited Obenshain to campus, Hirt said YAF has a strict, non-partisan stance.
“We don’t endorse candidates or political parties,” Hirt said. “We are not into politics as much as values.”
Michael Hensley, sophomore in political science and founding chairman of UT’s chapter of YAF, said he thinks the lecture will allow students to examine fundamental conservatism.
“Many students don’t have a really good understanding of conservatism,” Hensley said. “It often gets a negative reputation. We’re excited that she’s coming to just kind of set the record straight and explain why conservatism is not just applicable for the older generation.”
Ultimately, Hensley hopes students will take away a sense of pride from Obenshain’s lecture and be motivated to get involved with the conservative movement on campus.
Obenshain’s lecture is part of the Young America’s Foundation “Firing Up Freedom Tour.” Attendees have the opportunity to speak with Obenshain one-on-one at 7 p.m. before the lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Patrick Auditorium of the Communications Building. More information about UT’s Young Americans for Freedom chapter can be found at https://www.facebook.com/YAFUTK?.
