<\/p>\n
We\u2019re starting to wonder if Ken Paxton is pining for his college days at Baylor.<\/p>\n
After all, the attorney general seems unusually engaged in just about every on-campus controversy and debate \u2014 or at least the ones where he finds political advantage.<\/p>\n
This time, it\u2019s TCU in the spotlight<\/a>. Chloe Cole, who advocates against gender transition for minors, alleged that the university canceled a scheduled event planned by the university chapter of Turning Point USA, the organization founded by slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. School officials say the event was never scheduled to begin with because it did not have a secure space available on relatively short notice. Paxton, a master of speaking boldly when he knows little, declared he would get to the bottom of this \u201cfree speech\u201d issue<\/a>.<\/p>\n We can\u2019t believe we have to say this to a self-described conservative Republican, but: TCU is a private institution. It can welcome or reject any campus visitor or event, for any reason. It\u2019s a different standard than the state-supported universities<\/a> that have previously drawn fire.<\/p>\n Once upon a time, Republicans cherished that difference. Many stood up for the rights of private businesses or entities against what they saw as intrusive government.<\/p>\n These days, Ken Paxton is that intrusive government.<\/p>\n Republican populism flexes government power<\/p>\n As the GOP has moved inexorably in a populist direction, elected officials have increasingly sought to use the government power that they once feared to get the policy outcomes they desire \u2014 or simply to intimidate private institutions.<\/p>\n Paxton has taken this to a new level. Over three terms, he has morphed the job of attorney general into enforcer of whatever his political side wants at the moment. Republicans have developed grievances in recent years with technology companies<\/a>, Big Pharma<\/a> and, most recently, universities, including the University of North Texas. To be clear, many of these complaints have merit, and there\u2019s a role for government to counter expansive corporate power.<\/p>\n The hypocrisy is inescapable, though: The party that ascended to majorities in no small part by bashing \u201cfrivolous lawsuits\u201d decided by \u201cactivist judges\u201d is more than happy to turn to the courts or hang the looming threat of litigation over schools and companies if they don\u2019t get the outcome they desire.<\/p>\n It\u2019s mobster government<\/a>. Nice university you\u2019ve got there; it would be a shame if anything happened to it.<\/p>\n Colleges, even private ones like TCU, must embrace free speech<\/p>\n TCU, like all colleges, should embrace and promote freedom of speech. Institutions of higher education must be vigorous promoters of a free-expression culture, and not just in narrow, legalistic ways. They should be devoted to the idea that unpopular ideas are often those that need the most vigorous defense. They should reject the heckler\u2019s veto and counter the idea that speech, however noxious or even hateful, is equivalent to violence.<\/p>\n But in this case, there\u2019s no evidence of anything other than a logistical issue. Kirk himself held an event on campus<\/a> in 2023, and the Turning Point chapter had a memorial service for him after his assassination last month.<\/p>\n Perhaps university officials could have worked a little harder to find a space and fulfill the roles we describe above. But what happened is not a suppression of anyone\u2019s rights, and it\u2019s well within the university\u2019s prerogative to control the scheduling of its facilities.<\/p>\n State universities have an obligation to be even more open, and elected officials should hold their feet to the fire. But private institutions \u2014 think hard, General Paxton, surely you still understand the difference \u2014 are more immune from government scrutiny.<\/p>\n But again, activists at all levels seem to be forgetting this distinction. Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Bo French has been on a separate crusade against TCU, dropping \u201cinvestigations\u201d of the university\u2019s diversity practices<\/a>, its professors\u2019 comments and whatever else he can find in an attempt to keep the outrage fire stoked.<\/p>\n French gets more attention for his ignominious comments about minorities, gay people and immigrants<\/a>. Tarrant Republican leaders should ask tough questions about who\u2019s doing the actual work of the party \u2014 raising money, winning campaigns and assisting with the conduct of elections \u2014 while French sticks his nose in so many other people\u2019s business.<\/p>\n French and other critics of TCU like to drop the cliche that the university should remember what the \u201cC\u201d in \u201cTCU\u201d stands for. (Newsflash: If you\u2019re the 18,000th person to post that thought on X, it\u2019s not all that clever.) We\u2019re not aware of a time when Jesus addressed the procedure of booking lecture halls. TCU\u2019s history is largely secular, while still dedicated to Christian values. It\u2019s not Baylor, no matter how much Paxton might want it to be.<\/p>\n The attorney general seems to be everywhere all the time. That\u2019s one way to bolster his U.S. Senate campaign or distract from his personal and professional controversies<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s just a shame that so many institutions, especially private ones, must suffer in service to Paxton\u2019s ambition.<\/p>\n Do you have an opinion on this topic? Tell us!<\/p>\n We love to hear from Texans with opinions on the news \u2014 and to publish those views in the Opinion section.<\/p>\n \u2022 Letters should be no more than 150 words. <\/p>\n \u2022 Writers should submit letters only once every 30 days. <\/p>\n \u2022 Include your name, address (including city of residence), phone number and email address, so we can contact you if we have questions. <\/p>\n You can submit a letter to the editor two ways:<\/b><\/p>\n \u2022 Email letters@star-telegram.com<\/a> (preferred).<\/p>\nA poster for conservative commentator Charlie Kirk\u2019s \u2018Live Free\u2019 tour taken from the Turning Point USA TCU chapter\u2019s Facebook page. Courtesy of Turning Point USA at TCU <\/p>\n