Had an interesting conversation this morning on Facebook that I wanted to share. Got called a 'nazi sympathizer' because I am not okay with denying Trump and Ann Coulter's 1st Amendment Right. And yet apparently that makes me the Anti American...
One of my friends, who is politically Moderate, posted an article about Ann Coulter's recently cancelled speech. He agreed with what the article stated which I listed below.
I've got no love for people like Ann Coulter. But regardless of how much I dislike her, I value her right to free speech. All public and government funded institutions have a Constitutional obligation to create an environment that allows individuals to speak about their ideas, opinions and viewpoints.
Just because you might disagree with a conservative doesn't mean everyone on a college campus feels the same way. One ideology doesn't get to dictate all speaking engagements on a college campus. If I wasn't exposed to different perspectives, I would still be against decriminalizing drugs or same sex marriage. I'm not saying someone like Coulter would necessarily change anyone's mind on anything. But by threatening her with violence, or making it harder for her to speak on campuses, you're giving her exactly what she wants.
She wants attention. She wants to point a finger at students and make them appear to be against the First Amendment. She wants to belittle and minimize the importance of higher education.
Don't play into that, and don't give her what she wants. Let her speak, and refuse to go see her if you're offended by her message. She'll only be relevant if we allow her to be. Love you guys, and I hope you see where I'm coming from. I respect all the varying emotions that come along with situations like this. But what's right is right. We need to protect free speech regardless of the speaker in question.
While I don't agree with it all, I do relate to its premise. If you don't like what someone is talking about, then don't listen. Well one of my more left leaning Facebook friends came along and this happened. Someone who I should mention in the past has stated multiple times how Black Lives Matter are innocent saints, don't incite riots, Cops are bunch of murderous racist thugs, and Trump is practically the Anti Christ. I've blocked out the name but marked DM when I am the one responding.
The best part is when she calls me a racist and says she is ending the conversation, and then when I call her out on that is the stereotypical thing liberals do, she denies saying either one of those things! I didn't even respond because even if I quoted her she still wouldn't get it. I love political discussions but if you gotta be mature about it if you want me to take your argument seriously.