# Matthies, Rabois called on views of hate speech KZSU call-in show stirs broad dialogue
## 
### Anush Yegyazarian Staff writer 
The two key players in last month's Otero
"hate speech" incident appeared in the same
room last night, discussing social and politi
cal issues related to the Jan. 19 incident on
the premiere of "Talk Back," a new weekly
program on KZSU.
First-year law student Keith Rabois' com
ments centered mainly on the theme that
students feel too intimidated to take conser
vative stands on issues at Stanford.
Otero Resident Fellow Dennis Matthies
said his main concern is that an incident like
the one in Otero makes people hide behind
their versions of "correct" positions instead
of revealing what they think personally.

The two did not debate each other direct
ly. The program's format allowed for inter
change only between a caller and either
Rabois or Matthies.
The hiur-long show was hosted by Greg
Ricks, multicultural educator for Residential
Education.
Most of the callers addressed questions to
Rabois, some challenging his remarks, some
agreeing with his observations about Stan
ford's intellectual climate.
Rabois has admitted making anti-gay
remarks on Jan. 19 outside of Matthies' RF
cottage while Matthies was not home. Since
the University publicized the incident,
Rabois has become the target of widespread
community condemnation.
Rabois criticized the way the campus has
reacted to the incident, arguing that he, rather
than his ideas, have come under attack.
"Any time someone makes a remark that
is not politically correct, people attack the
messenger and not the message," he said.
But one caller said Rabois' criticism of oth
ers' reactions is an indication that he wants to
protect "free speech for people who agree"
with him. "What's wrong with the majority
speaking out on their views?" the caller
asked.
In response, Rabois referred to a letter in
The Daily that encouraged people to write to
the California Bar Association to prevent his
entry, and other letters sent by law school
students to his potential employers. He
argued that those letters "were not just
speech."
One caller did agree that "there are more
productive ways to deal with this incident"
than those used against Rabois.
She said that students in her dorm have
discussed the campus political climate but
still do not feel comfortable expressing con
servative views.
Matthies said that multiculturalism is
"stalled on campus and nationally," mainly
because everyone seems to have an answer
and an opinion, but no one is asking ques
tions.
All the discussion is debate, not dia

logue," he said.
He said that discrimination of any kind is
a day-to-day thing, not just major incidents,
and that he is more interested in dealing
with the problem on that level.
Rabois said his remarks were originally
meant for a small group of students who
were standing outside Otero, simply to show
them what speech is allowed.
But he added that after administrators
called him and the two others who were with
him and "threatened them" with punitive
action, he decided to demonstrate how
"ridiculous" the speech code is.
When a caller asked Rabois if he would
stand by the statements he made that night,
Rabois said, "No, I didn't mean it that way. I
don't hate anyone. It was an example," not a
personal attack.
According to sophomore Wendy Lack, the
director and producer of the show, the pro
gram format will be open to change depend
ing on the nature of the guests and the
issues involved.
On this show, she said, the producers
decided not to have a debate format because
they wanted to focus on feedback from lis
teners rather than a dialogue between
Rabois and Matthies.


Keith Rabois


Dennis Matthies