The editorial board of University of Virginia's student newspaper demanded that former Vice President Mike Pence's invitation to speak on campus next month be rescinded, arguing that the conservative politician has attacked the LGBTQ community and shown disregard for 'black lives.' 

Earlier this month, the Young America's Foundation, a conservative youth organization, announced Pence's participation in its lecture series. 

Donald Trump's former VP is slated to deliver his speech at UVA's Old Cabell Hall on April 12. 

'The political climate at the University of Virginia has grown to become nearly inhospitable towards conservatives,' said UVA YAF Chairman Nick Cabrera. 'Bringing the 48th Vice President Mike Pence will allow for a reinvigorated sense of intellectual diversity across Jefferson's campus.'

Pence's upcoming appearance on campus sparked outrage among UVA's progressives and prompted the board of, the university's student newspaper to publish a strongly worded editorial titled 'Dangerous rhetoric is not entitled to a platform.' 

The thrust of the March 17 editorial's argument, is that Pence is a 'homophobic, racist and transphobic politician' whose 'hateful rhetoric' should not be given a platform. 

The controversy brewing at UVA over Pence's presence comes just days after a free speech debate between conservative and progressive speakers at Yale Law sparked a protest by a group of angry liberal students. 

The leadership of UVA, meanwhile, has come out in support of Pence's speech.

'[The event] is not a University-sponsored event, but it fits well within the University's academic mission to offer our community the opportunity to hear from, and engage with, leaders and experts from a wide variety of fields and perspectives,' UVA spokesperson Brian Coy told The Cavalier Daily. 

In February, the former VP addressed a Stanford College Republican (SCR) Forum at with a speech titled 'How to Save America From the Woke Left.' 

Pence's visit at Stanford was met with dozens of protesters, who staged a peaceful demonstration outside the venue where he spoke, chanting 'hate should not be taught here.' 

The conservative politician's planned UVA speech will explore 'freedom, free markets and traditional values.' 

In its takedown of Pence's invitation to UVA, The Cavalier Daily's editorial board portrayed the 48th vice president as a homophobe who hates minorities and immigrants. 

'For Pence, gay couples signify a "societal collapse," Black lives do not matter, transgender individuals and immigrants do not deserve protection and the pandemic should not be taken seriously,' the editorial read. 'Nevertheless, the University has accepted Pence's visit as an "opportunity to hear from, and engage with, leaders and experts from a wide variety of fields and perspectives."

'So-called "perspectives" should not be welcomed when they spread rhetoric that directly threatens the presence and lives of our community members.