I’m sitting in the Marriott Library at the U., getting some homework done and reading some articles on Ben Shapiro’s scheduled visit to our campus tonight. I’ve seen the fliers taped to light poles. Messages written in chalk on the sidewalks surrounding the library direct the passersby to the venue and time of Mr. Shapiro’s lecture. Little else outside of the ordinary is going on.
I’ve read the letter posted to the Salt Lake Tribune, signed by Ian Decker, the Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Utah, Black Lives Matter - Salt Lake City, and the University of Utah Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán in which they declare their intent to “shut down” Shapiro’s event. They emphasize that doing so will be done non-violently, but with the very clear intent to obstruct Shapiro’s, and the Young Americans for Freedom who sponsors the event, to exercise their free speech.
This position comes from a basic misunderstanding of what free speech is. Free speech is not the right to obstruct other’s speech. Peaceful protest is essential to social progress, a fact that we as a nation have been cognizant of since our founding. But protest ceases to be peaceful when it interferes with someone else’s rights.
The letter to the Tribune cites the signatories’ knowledge of the fact that “we don’t live in a fantasy world where hate speech has no consequences.” This is true. Hate speech, or any controversial speech, often leads to consequences, many of which we would rather avoid.
However, as guaranteed by our Constitution, controversial speech is protected. In the course of intellectual discussion, the good ideas will prevail over the bad, but only if the bad ideas are given venue to be discussed first. Shutting down Shapiro’s free speech only lends credence to his expressed opinions of the left.
Protest, and object to Shapiro’s positions. Ask him questions, and express your disagreement with his answers. But let the man speak, so that his ideas can be judged on their merits, and not strengthened by the adversity that only serves to embolden him and his followers.
Kyle Anderson
Orem