Tancredo to Speak in Rhody

Tired of all that budget chatter? Well, Rhode Island's bizzarely high profile debate over illegal immigration is back again, with a curfuffle over Providence College's decision to block former Congressman, presidential aspirant and anti-illegal-immigration crusader Tom Tancredo from speaking at the school.

Tancredo, who drew a protest complete with shattered glass and pepper spray during a recent appearance at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, will instead speak at the Capt. Elwood J. Euart VFW Post in Pawtucket Wednesday night.

You've got to wonder why colleges turn away these speakers. I mean Tancredo is a bit wacky, for sure. And as a PC spokeswoman noted, his views aren't exactly in line with the Catholic Church that runs the campus. But there's no surer way to draw attention to a speaker than by denying him a stage.