Wednesday night, Campus Events Commission screened the X-rated “Pirates II: Stagnetti’s Revenge” for students interested in getting a first glance at the most expensive porn film ever made. Unfortunately, not everyone who signed up to reserve a seat at the screening actually intended on sitting through this multi-million-dollar movie.
Members of the UCLA chapter of the International Justice Mission organized a protest of the screening, held at 8 p.m. in Ackerman Grand Ballroom.
While the Daily Bruin Editorial Board understands certain students’ moral aversion to the film, the IJM protested the screening under the incorrect belief that student fees were helping to pay for the screening. Students organized the protest online, saying “as UCLA students, part of our tuition is going to pay for this film.” This is entirely false ““ no student fees paid for the screening of the adult film.
The Cultural Affairs Commission explained that the only money going toward Wednesday night’s event was to pay for the speakers following the film, meaning fees were not put toward pornography, but helped foster a discussion about it.
Campus Events went to great lengths to ensure all attendees were 18 and above and, like all film screenings, “Pirates II” was a completely voluntary event.
Students strongly opposed to the screening should have simply stayed away rather than reserved seats to prevent other students from attending the screening and Q&A.
On a campus as diverse as UCLA, can’t we all agree to disagree?