Following the news that MILO will deliver the keynote address at this year’s Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) conference, both leftists and establishment conservatives have taken to Twitter to express their outrage.
Freedom of speech and the protection of the First Amendment have become one of the defining issues for the conservative movement, especially amongst young people.
Based upon experiences on his nationwide college tour — where the events have aroused numerous violent protests by left-wing activists, attracting worldwide attention — the invitation is further confirmation that MILO is now the leading free speech advocate in America’s conservative movement.
The speech will, therefore, focus on issues of free speech and the state of modern American conservatism, but will also include MILO’s experiences battling the leading left-wing movements and institutions, third-wave feminism, the media, ideologically driven college professors, Black Lives Matter, violent “black bloc” activists, and progressive elites in the entertainment industry.
Matt Schlapp, Chair of the American Conservative Union (ACU), the organizers of CPAC, announced MILO’s speech on Twitter, stating that “free speech includes hearing MILO’s important perspective.”
We think free speech includes hearing Milo’s important perspective. #CPAC2017 pic.twitter.com/ssDS6HVmLN
— Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) February 18, 2017
Leftists and establishment conservatives were not happy with the announcement. Conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg, editor of the National Review, an establishment publication that strongly opposed Donald Trump’s campaign for the Republican nomination in 2015 and 2016, said the announcement was “sad and disappointing.”
@mschlapp Sad and disappointing, Matt.
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) February 18, 2017
Josh Hammer, a columnist for the Resurgent and Daily Wire, described the decision as an “utter disgrace,” adding that he would rather “thirds at the buffet line behind Lena Dunham and Rosie O’Donnell than watch Milo Yiannopoulos give [his] keynote address.”
This is an utter disgrace for CPAC and the @ACUConservative that runs it. Abhorrent and shameful. https://t.co/o4IANurp5R
— Josh Hammer (@josh_hammer) February 18, 2017
I rather get thirds at the buffet line behind Lena Dunham and Rosie O'Donnell than watch Milo Yiannopoulos give a keynote address at CPAC.
— Josh Hammer (@josh_hammer) February 18, 2017
David Frum, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush and current senior editor at The Atlantic, solemnly shared the news with his followers, describing it as “kind of fated.”
Milo Yiannopoulos to keynote CPAC. https://t.co/9xfBTbjFUE Which actually seems … kind of fated, really.
— David Frum (@davidfrum) February 18, 2017
T. Becket Adams, a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner, took a similar tone.
i guess we should’ve seen this coming pic.twitter.com/fyzchYGfL0
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) February 18, 2017
Jonathan Cook, the public relations representatives for Conservatives for Environmental Reform, confirmed he definitely wouldn’t be attending the conference owing to his belief that CPAC is now “embracing the alt-right.”
With Milo and a Breitbart editor, CPAC is embracing the alt-right. I'm definitely not going now.
— Jonathan Cook (@JonathanCookNC) February 18, 2017
Weekend editor at The Daily Beast Scott Bixby claimed the speech showed that CPAC is “fine with [inviting] queer conservatives,” but so long as they are “neo-fascists.”
Turns out that CPAC is fine with queer conservatives attending its conference! They just have to be neo-fascists! https://t.co/LYiAK8n5G7
— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) February 18, 2017
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