Dear Editor:

Make no mistake: the coup going on at the University of Maine in Orono against the originally chartered UMe College Republicans is just one more move to destroy free speech on college campuses.

When the UMCRs, led by president Charles Honkonen, lost their advisor when that advisor moved away, far-left professor Amy Fried took over the role. Within a few weeks, Ms. Fried resigned because of “ideological differences.” What a surprise! Did she believe there would be none with the College Republicans? The start of the coup.

Suddenly, a new group of so-called young Republicans emerged on campus. Where did they come from? Why did they not simply join with the original group? Certainly there cannot be thousands of young Republicans on the Orono campus. Step two of the coup.

When Honkonen's disenfranchised CRs found a new advisor and re-applied for their charter, they were asked one glaring question by the Student Organizations Committee (SOC): Were they endorsed by the MeGOP? MeGOP chair Demi Kouzounis claimed the MeGOP could not endorse any specific group. Step three.

The Maine College Republicans is a subset of the Maine Federation of College Republicans, which, according to MeGOP by-laws, is affiliated with the MeGOP. Chairman Kouzounis and executive director Jason Savage refused to endorse an actual part of their own organization. Well, that’s suspicious!

Are the citizens of Maine really ready and willing to give up free speech and abandon our young people to the liberal left? I am not!

Judy Fossel

Alna