In the boneheaded move of the year, conservative student group Young Americans for Freedom invited British National Party (BNP) leader Nick Griffin, a flat-out racist and Holocaust denier, to speak about the dangers of Islam at Michigan State University: Protesters shout down anti-Islam speaker at MSU.

It’s not clear from the article whether this was part of Islamofascism Awareness Week or not, but if it was, the Young Americans for Freedom have just handed the enemy a huge gift on a platter, tied up with a lovely white supremacist bow.

EAST LANSING - When British Nationalist Nick Griffin took the podium at a Friday night Michigan State University event, he tried to explain how Islam is a threat to Western civilization.

Protesters wouldn’t have it.

Hurling obscenities and using chants to interrupt his address, rambunctious student organizations forced Griffin to abandon his speech and allow an informal question and answer session.

What followed was an unstructured banter between the speaker and a crowd of roughly 75 protesters. While many attempted to ask Griffin legitimate questions, others shouted obscenities.

“We have all come from different backgrounds,” said Authra Khreis, 17, a pre-med student and a protester. “We should accept one another. I don’t think he should be allowed to speak. You can use free speech until you hurt another person.”

Griffin was invited to campus by a conservative student organization called Young Americans for Freedom, or YAF.

Kyle Bristow, chairman of YAF, said his organization invited Griffin to promote intellectual debate. Bristow said he doesn’t believe in many of the ideas Griffin has preached, particularly his alleged denial of the Holocaust, but does agree that the Islamic faith is a threat to America.

If this was another case of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” it couldn’t possibly be more misguided. From the statement by Kyle Bristow, it’s clear that the YAF (not related to Jason Mattera’s group, the Young America’s Foundation) knew exactly who Griffin was when they invited him.

The YAF should apologize for this, and renounce any associations with the BNP or Griffin. It’s an indefensible move, and a gigantic mistake. Do the right thing, and distance yourselves now while you can still control the damage.

UPDATE at 10/27/07 5:47:36 pm:

LGF readers have been digging, and so have I, and I was being naive in thinking the YAF at Michigan State would renounce Nick Griffin and the BNP. They know exactly what he believes, and what the BNP stands for, and invited him for that reason.

And surprise! They’re also big supporters of the only man who can save America, Ron Paul.

UPDATE at 10/27/07 6:20:32 pm:

Kyle Bristow.com.

UPDATE at 10/27/07 7:56:18 pm:

Did you know that LGF is a “pro-Muslim, left-wing blog?”