I am embarrassed about growing up in a Republican family.

Why don’t the campus Republican groups invite any of the many governors, members of Congress and office candidates who can talk about the policies and programs of the Republican Party?

Instead, they invite people who could not conceivably run for office, and who specialize in making offensive statements to arouse opposition. They know that these inflammatory speakers bring out people who create violence rather than rational political debate appropriate to a university.

These repeated foolish decisions make one think that their primary goal is not to have constructive political debate about policies but to get headlines and newspaper coverage.

Susan Ervin-Tripp is a UC Berkeley professor emeritus.