I noticed that there are students protest guest speakers who don’t agree with their ideology. Personally, I don’t believe that these protests are legitimate and prevent conversation and confrontation that students need. What do you guys think?
The protests are just as legitimate a free expression of opinion as the controversial speakers. The only problem comes when protests turn violent.
Personally I believe that no college has the power to prevent free speech, something inherently human and a right given to us by 'Nature and Nature’s God’s to quote Thomas Jefferson. But it’s also wrong to be violent and refuse to hold a reasonable conversation. The entire system of America is that we can speak about our issues and beliefs without turning needlessly angry or using ad hominem attacks. So if they wish to protest certainly there’s nothing stopping them but they must respect the decisions of other people with opposite opinions.
The protesters try to shut down free speech with their intimidation tactics, the school administrations charge security fees or ban speakers outright. They are both convinced that their arguments and orthodoxy cannot withstand alternate viewpoints. Note that administrations could not use the ‘security fee’ excuse without the protesters, so they are complementary.
Lately it has been left-wingers trying to shut down right-wingers, a generation or two ago it was the opposite.
It’s rather sad either way.