Posted by Eugene Volokh:
Thugs Suppressing Free Speech:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2009_04_12-2009_04_18.shtml#1239818805
From the [1]Charlotte News & Observer:
UNC-CH police released pepper spray and threatened to use a Taser
on student protesters Tuesday evening when a crowd disrupted a
speech by former Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo opposing
in-state tuition benefits to unauthorized immigrants.
Hundreds of protesters converged on Bingham Hall, shouting
profanities and accusations of racism while Tancredo and the
student who introduced him tried to speak. Minutes into the speech,
a protester pounded a window of the classroom until the glass
shattered, prompting Tancredo to flee and campus police to shut
down the event....
About 200 protesters reconvened outside the building. "We shut him
down; no racists in our town," they shouted. "Yes, racists, we will
fight, we know where you sleep at night!" ...
UNC graduate student Tyler Oakley, who had organized the protest,
said he regretted the broken window but not silencing Tancredo. "He
was not able to practice his hate speech," said Oakley. "You have
to respect the right of people to assemble and collectively speak."
Appalling. But here's an enheartening item:
But campus visitors and some faculty members in the capacity crowd
of 150 urged the students to let Tancredo speak.
"We are the children of immigrants, and this concerns us," said
junior Lizette Lopez, 22, vice president of the Carolina Hispanic
Association. "So we would at least like to hear what he has to say
if you want to hear what we have to say." ...
"We were more interested in an intellectual conversation instead of
a shouting match," she said. "Ironically, the people that are
trying to get our voices heard silenced us."
Thanks to [2]InstaPundit for the pointer. Cornell Prof. William
Jacobson has [3]more, including video.
References
1. http://www.newsobserver.com/news/immigration/story/1486087.html
2. http://instapundit.com/
3.
http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2009/04/when-fascism-comes-to-america-it-will.html
_______________________________________________
Volokh mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.powerblogs.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/volokh
