When I was in college, they still believed in education. We had speakers of every possible stripe invited to campus--a proponent of the KKK, a Russian communist and other Marxists, Birchers, left wing, right wing, whatever is in the middle etc. Students were encouraged, sometimes ordered, to attend those presentation and later in class the content would be discussed, analyzed, mulled over, contemplated, usually followed by written impressions by the students. The professor's role was not to be pro or con but rather to make sure all the components were included and considered.
The students treated ALL these speakers, even the ones with whom they most vehemently disagreed, with the utmost courtesy and respect. To do anything else would have received swift and certain retribution by university authorities. The principle of free speech and the liberty of free and open thought and expression were in full force. (I don't think it would have occurred to any of us to be rude to an invited guest anyway. Different time. Different and in my opinion much more beneficial culture.)
I don't believe a single student from that era went on to be a fanatical leftwinger, rightwinger or anything else other than a responsible, competent, productive citizen of the USA who was an asset to his/her family, neighborhood, community, state, and country.
And we all got an excellent education.
