A controversial keynote speaker at an annual fundraiser for an Idaho think tank has brought protesters out, but the Idaho Freedom Foundation says the protesters have it all wrong. Outside the Chateau de Fleur in Eagle, a handful of protesters waved signs and yelled shame as the Idaho freedom foundation held their annual fundraiser on Saturday night. The protesters, demonstrating against the keynote speaker, political scientist Charles Murray.
"You can't talk about freedom and then refuse to defend it, and the Idaho Freedom Foundation and Chateau De Fleur have defended freedom," said Political Scientist and Author Charles Murray to the Crowd.
Murray has been called a white supremacist by the left-leaning Southern Poverty Law Center. Murray denies the label and the president of the Idaho Freedom Foundation say they and Murray are trying to improve quality of lives for everyone.
"Charles Murray like a lot of other researchers and scholars in the area of public policy are trying to improve people's lives. It has nothing to do with skin color it has nothing to do with ethnicity it has nothing to do with other socio-economic factors. We're trying to help people have better lives," said Wayne Hoffman President of the Idaho Freedom Foundation.
Earlier in the day, a counter event lead by United Vision for Idaho was held outside the Goodness Land Restaurant, a business recently attacked by hate speech. Their goal is To reject bigotry.
"If we don't step up and make our voice be heard, then we are equally as guilty as those that perpetrate these lies, ideas, etc. as those that are sitting silently and not doing anything," said Phillip Thompson, of the Idaho Black History Museum.
