Quote:
Originally Posted by Papa_Complex
Depends on whether you consider any and all speech to be free. There's the classic "fire in a crowded theatre" exception, for example. Personally I like complete freedom of speech, because it allows me to spot the bigots and morons for what they are.
As Avatard said, in this case the students exercised their rights of free speech to shout down someone they disagreed with.
There were no threats and the only "intimidation" was some moron who pulled the fire alarm. That's just to set the record straight, since the way that this is playing in the media is starting to come off like a '60s anti-Nam campus riot. It was nothing of the sort. it was a peaceful, if somewhat loud, protest.
|
Basic protected free speech, like you said the fire example wouldn't be protected speech. People being bigots and morons is fine.
They weren't shouting anyone down. She wasn't even there apparently. They were preventing an event. Your freedom is not guaranteed when you infringe on the freedom of others.
Without being there, it's hard to say what the crowd was doing. I wouldn't say they were trying to burn the building down, but it does sound like there was some disorderly conduct going on. All I have to work with is the article and reports.