…for Disrupting Horowitz Speech
On Wednesday, University of Texas police arrested five protesters as David Horowitz prepared to talk about free speech.
Ironic, isn’t it?
Their signs said, “Freedom of expression = Freedom to dissent”. Of course it does. But what Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Speech ≠is the freedom to assault a speaker nor the freedom to deny that speaker’s right to Free Speech.
Remember these sage words from Rob at Say Anything:
Nobody’s right to free speech gives them license to silence another’s free speech and certainly the fact that some assholes on the right engage in the same sort of nonsense doesn’t make this sort of behavior any more excusable.
If we want free speech in this country we must realize that it can only exist when we all say what we want to say and then shut up when its the other person’s or the other side’s turn to speak.
I’m giddy that these idiots were arrested and detained overnight in jail. Wouldn’t it be sweet karma if one or more of them missed work while they were in jail for their idiocy and were fired for it? Except they would then have more time to participate in Austin’s Professional Protestor culture…
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UPDATE: Blogs For Bush remarks on the incident, and Matt May posts his thoughts, too.
I agree this is the wrong approach to counter right-wing extremists. Alas, the mainstream media preference for the Horowitzes and Coulters frustrates these students, I suppose.
But I’d rather let them get to speak and embarrass themselves with their hate rather than allow right-wing blogs re-direct the focus of the ‘debate’.
Left by Preston on April 15th, 2005 at 5:03 pm