SOUTH KINGSTOWN — A national campaign by conservative speaker and columnist David Horowitz to raise awareness of what he refers to as Islamo-Fascism brought one of its best-known voices to the University of Rhode Island last night, where about 75 people listened to a provocative if tactfully delivered talk.

Invited by the College Republicans club, author Robert Spencer spoke for about 45 minutes, arguing that Islam, rather than being a religion of peace, is the source of writings and traditions that ardent followers are using to justify terrorism against the West and poor treatment of people in Muslim countries.

Spencer said no culture and no religion has a superior hold on good or evil, but he said the writings in the Koran have been and are being used to mistreat women, persecute and kill religious minorities and kill homosexuals.

He said it is ironic that in the West, where such actions are considered unacceptable, that attempts to bring attention to such actions result in cries of bigotry and intolerance against the people who speak up.

“The silence of the human-rights establishment, the silence of the left is appalling,” he said.

Spencer’s visit was part of what the David Horowitz Freedom Center is calling Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week, which is being recognized on more than 200 college campuses across the country, according to the URI College Republicans.

While last night’s talk began without a hitch, the event was preceded by an e-mail purporting to be from URI students who were going to protest Spencer’s attempt to spread his “Muslim-hating, Bush propagandist” views.

But hours before Spencer had even stepped onto the stage at URI’s Memorial Union, some political aficionados were speculating that the e-mail might have been sent by the College Republicans themselves in an attempt to bring more people to the event.

Ryan Bilodeau, chairman of the club, insisted the club did not send out the e-mail. When asked why the club’s press release for the event mentioned likely protests, he said he and other club members were hearing that protests — which did not materialize — were likely.

“When we say that we know there are going to be protests it’s because of the buzz that we hear,” he said.

Tom Sgouros, publisher of the Rhode Island Policy Reporter, is one of those who suggested the protest idea was made up.

Sgouros said he is on the College Republican e-mail list and receives club e-mails at his work and personal e-mail addresses. The e-mail announcing the protest, which offered no name or contact information, also went to both addresses, he said.

Sgouros also noted the wording of the press release announcing the protest, which urged others to put an end to the “racism, sexism and bigotry” spread by a “sicko” like Spencer.

“That’s’ the kind of things that Republicans imagine that leftists sit around talking about,” he said.

Spencer took questions from students after the talk.

One student asked why Spencer was so concerned about discrimination in Muslim countries when gays are discriminated against and killed in America.

The difference, Spencer said, is that such behavior in America is not condoned by the system.

redgar@projo.com