“F*ck the law” – CUNY Law students attempt shout-down of conservative law prof
Protesters took over podium and yelled over Prof. Josh Blackman as he attempted to give a lecture on “The Importance of Free Speech on Campus”
![Josh Blackman with permission](https://c3.legalinsurrection.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Josh-Blackman-CUNY-protest-4-e1523581458851.png)
Disruptions of conservative speakers, even at law schools, has become a common tactic. We’ve documented dozens of such incidents.
The tactic, even when it doesn’t prevent the speech completely, is not merely the expression of disagreement. It’s an infringement of the speaker’s right to speak, and the audience’s right to hear that speech.
But it’s more. It’s meant to create a toxic campus atmosphere in which there is a price tag to expressing non-progressive ideas.
It just happened again, to conservative law professor Josh Blackman from Southern Texas College of Law in Houston. Blackman has established himself as a leading legal commenter on a variety of legal issues, and was recipient of the 2018 Joseph Story Award from the Federalist Society, an award “given annually to a young academic (under 40) who has demonstrated excellence in legal scholarship, a commitment to teaching, a concern for students, and who has made a significant public impact in a manner that advances the rule of law in a free society.”
Blackman was invited to speak by the Federalist Society Chapter at the City University of New York (CUNY) Law School. That did not sit well with some progressive law school activists, who tried to shut down and shout-down the event.
Blackman describes what happened, Students at CUNY Law Protested and Heckled My Lecture about Free Speech on Campus:
On Thursday, March 29, students at CUNY Law protested and heckled my lecture about free speech on campus. You can watch video of the entire event, which lasted about seventy minutes, here. The protest and heckling took place during the first eight minutes of the recording…. [Video is below]
In October, the CUNY School of Law Federalist Society invited me to speak on a panel discussion about theories of constitutional interpretation. I had planned to speak about originalism. Alas, the students were not able to find any other professors who were willing to participate in the event….
Blackman then goes on to describe how a protest movement formed, resulting in protests at his event:
Shortly before the event began, I spoke with CUNY’s Chief of Public Safety. He explained that a few dozen students were already assembled in the hallway outside the room. They had amassed earlier in the day to create posters and signs. (Students passed out poster board and markers.) I asked him if they would heckle me in order to prevent me from speaking. He said he did not know. Then, he asked me what my “exit plan” was. He explained that there were certain safe ways to exit the building. When I said I planned to leave via Uber, and not the subway, he was relieved. It was a question I had never before considered. Although he initially told me he did not want to be present in the room, he escorted me from the elevator to the classroom.
The video, which is posted above, illustrates the scene as I entered the classroom. Several dozen students (I will leave the count to others) held up signs and chanted “shame on you,” booed, and hissed….
One student made a half-hearted effort to block my entry into the room with his backpack, but I easily moved past him.
Much to my surprise, when I entered the room after that rude welcome, there were only about five people in attendance. Moments later, the protestors with signs filed in and surrounded all four sides of the room. About a dozen of them were standing directly behind me.
The President of the Federalist Society Chapter asked the students standing behind me to move to the back of the room. They refused. I didn’t raise any objection. Had they stayed there, and not made any noise, it would have been fine with me.
The protestors called out: “Shame on You.” “I don’t understand how CUNY allows this.” “There are students that are directly affected by this hate speech.” “Legal objectivity is a myth.” “You still have an opportunity to leave.”
As the President began my introduction, the protestors heckled him. “This is not okay.” As he said my name, someone called out “He’s a white supremacist.” Others booed. “I don’t understand how CUNY law allows this.” One of the protestors observed, “He’s filming us. Just so everyone is aware, he is filming us.” I told her, “I am.” (New York is a one-party consent recording jurisdiction.)
Blackman’s post has tons of photos, here are a couple of them showing the gauntlet he had to walk outside the room:
![http://joshblackman.com/blog/2018/04/12/students-at-cuny-law-protested-and-heckled-my-lecture-about-free-speech-on-campus/](https://c4.legalinsurrection.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Josh-Blackman-CUNY-protest-3-1024x768.jpg)
[Image via Josh Blackman website]
![http://joshblackman.com/blog/2018/04/12/students-at-cuny-law-protested-and-heckled-my-lecture-about-free-speech-on-campus/](https://c2.legalinsurrection.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Josh-Blackman-CUNY-protest-2-1024x576.png)
[Image via Josh Blackman website]
The protests then disrupted Blackman’s attempt to speak:
A few students in attendance clapped as I began to speak. “Well thank you very much to CUNY for having me,” I said. In unison, they yelled out, “CUNY is not having you.” “You are not welcome.” Another shouted out something about “white men and those who support white supremacy.” An African-American student who was attending the event replied, “I am not white.” A protestor, holding a sign that said “Josh Blackman is not welcome here and neither is the Fed Society” asked, “then why are you here? Why aren’t you with us?”…
At this point, about three minutes in, I had only managed to say a single sentence. I decided to start, though I abandoned my prepared remarks. Instead, I decided to respond to attacks the student’s made against me in flyers that were distributed throughout the school. “For those of you who are actually here to hear me speak, I’ll try.”
A student interrupted, “You’re very brave.” I told him “Thank you, thank you I try.” They continued to shout over me. One said, “CUNY Law is threatening us and protecting speakers.”
Here’s a photo Blackman posted showing how students took over the podium:
![http://joshblackman.com/blog/2018/04/12/students-at-cuny-law-protested-and-heckled-my-lecture-about-free-speech-on-campus/](https://c2.legalinsurrection.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Josh-Blackman-CUNY-protest-1024x768.jpg)
[Image via Josh Blackman website]
A student shouted out “Fuck the law.” This comment stunned me. I replied, “Fuck the law? That’s a very odd thing. You are all in law school. And it is a bizarre thing to say fuck the law when you are in law school.” They all started to yell and shout over me.
After a while, Blackman was able to give his speech. Here’s the video:
At the end of his blog post, Blackman notes that he was granted tenure just prior to the event:
Less than twenty-four hours before the protest, the South Texas College of Law Houston granted me tenure. I am deeply grateful to my colleagues for their vote of confidence. This security will ensure that I can effectively engage protestors and challenge their ideas for many decades to come.
Congratulations to Josh, but for every tenured conservative professor who has some measure of protection, there are thousands of professors and tens of thousands of students who are afraid to speak against the prevailing progressive dogma because they don’t want to be subjected to the jeering mob.
[Featured image via Josh Blackman website]
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Comments
I certainly hope none of these students are ever admitted to the bar.
Imagine being a poor defendant forced to rely on one of these ideologues for your representation.
These ARE the future Bar members. And lawmakers.
Illegal aliens are admitted to the NY State Bar, seems that it is set pretty low, anyway.
Not that it is the only state that does that.
It’s interesting how they miss the irony of their own placards.
More frightening than interesting. These fools have been indoctrinated in leftist lunacy to the point where they believe in it as fervently as Muslim terrorists believe their interpretation of Islam. They are no longer willing, or capable of thinking, or accepting the possibility that there could be any other truth than theirs. They have the same attitude as the terrorists — convert, submit, or die.
The education system that creates people like this needs to be destroyed. They didn’t get this screwed-up on their own — this is largely a result of what they’ve been taught over the last 10-15 years.
God I hate these repulsive, pompous little cretins. Their fanatical mentality is a cancer on humanity.
To equate them with cancer is to insult the disease.
A putrid, foul, festering boil on a gangrenous appendage might do.I weep for the law if these are the best CUNY can admit.
Wow, they just created multiple reasons to be EXPELLED FROM COLLEGE and prosecuted by the real law!
Here, however, is an example of a Trump appointee following the law. (It’s a law the Democrats such as Lizzie Borden …..er Warren…..thought they’d use to rape Americans.)
“Mulvaney to Congress: Thanks to you, I don’t have to answer any of your questions — ever”
“Mulvaney flat-out refused to answer Warren’s written questions. Both today and yesterday, though, Mulvaney engaged the questions from the panels. Perhaps a rhetorical hoisting of Congress by its own petard will be sufficient to get the message across….”
https://hotair.com/archives/2018/04/12/mulvaney-congress-thanks-dont-answer-questions-ever/
“…progressive law school activists.” meet the next generation of legislating judges.
A very good reason to vote Republican
” Liberals have long asserted that “diversity” doesn’t cross the blood-brain barrier. And they’ve also made it clear that they are the white supremacists of the world of ideas: They view nearly all deviation from their own opinions and beliefs as not only wrong, but ILLEGITIMATE. That’s why these people are always seeking to explain conservative beliefs as really coming from fear of ‘diversity’, or economic privilege, etc. The possibility of it being a legitimate, alternate view of the world is just too crazy to even entertain.”
– Zack Yezek ·
Social Justice
WarriorsLawyersBe afraid for the future of this country.
What is more frightening would be our complacency in the face of this threat by the left.
Better to fight to prevent concentration camps in your own country than to try and fight your way out of one.
Exactly why the Left wants to repeal 2A
rinardman,
Social Justice W̶a̶r̶r̶i̶o̶r̶s̶̶ Judges.
They are already here, in spades, so it seems.
Congress should make a law prohibiting any Federal dollars going to institutes of “higher” education that permit this behavior.
I see mail all the time from my University which claims there is no room for hate, bigotry, disrespect toward anyone in our community, I’m sure all such places claim the same thing, yet they allow this behavior to constantly go on. If they actually practiced this universally, this stupidity would be stopped, but of course they don’t. In some cases they actively applaud this type of discrimination and hatred to be a major part of their agendas. I say, no tax payer dollars should go to these institutes that selectively apply allowed bigotry. They are all becoming sophists. Let them do without Federal money for two terms every time they act this way and we might see some meaningful change come on campuses and those institutions will be living up to the ideals they claim to live up to.
Who is going to do that? Paul Boehner? Rat McConnell?
We have a lot of work to do in purging Congress of leftists and GOPe rats.
Wouldn’t that be a violation of free speech?
Yikes. You do understand that ‘free speech’ has nothing to do with government-subsidized speech, no? What we have now is the government funding of a legitimate fifth column in our schools. Even if I concede we must tolerate these radicals (and I don’t), to suggest that my tax dollars go to fund them is about as non-serious as you are.
Why is Federal money being shoveled to State institutions? Let the States fund their own programs; let the institutions utilize their own endowments.
How could that be construed as a violation of free speech when it would be done to allow all opinions to have the chance to be heard on campuses instead of silencing one side of the political divide? These student protests which lead to cancelling right wing political speakers is suppression of free speech. They have every right to protest a speaker, but their goal isn’t to show that they oppose those views as much as it is to shut those views off from everyone on campus.
If they assemble peacefully, put up their silly signs of protest, while allowing those who want to hear other views, that is fine. So many colleges and universities take it further than that, and have suppressed conservative or right leaning speakers from talking. It is that which is the problem. There have been many cases where Republican clubs arranged for speakers, paid for out of their club money, and because of protests, the schools have made them cancel the event. That is suppression of free speech.
Is the chick in the lead photo BRITISH, or just “spelling challenged”?
They don’t make spell check software that directly integrates into handmade posters. Be glad it has some semblance to English… American, British, Commonwealth, whatever.
Exactly … Paying tuition to a law school is NOT a license to be illiterate
That’s a chick?
Nah. Just fat, dumb and ugly.
She’s certainly irony challenged. Has she even read the sign she’s holding?
A village is missing its idiot.
Go full Alinsky on them. This would be one way:
Take pictures and make them famous.
Sure, for some of them this will translate into “social justice points” for future employment by liberal organizations, but a great many of them will have to go out into the real world and convince prospective employers that they are now grown ups, not the spoiled brats pictured all over the internet.
Post the photos on Facebook.
Might as well make something useful out of Facebook.
My question is about the university administration. Where is it?
This behaviour should not be tolerated. Adults need to stop these spoiled little brats in their tracks, with academic notes, suspensions, expulsions and (if necessary) trespass notices and even criminal complaints. These creeps are just bullies. Stand up to them and they will back down and return to their “safe spaces” under their rocks.
The progs/libs/commies have been at war with us for 60+ years and most of the sheeple have slept through the whole war.
Education system, judiciary, government, federal and many states, morals, culture, history, patriotism – all have been almost DESTROYED.
Really hard to unite when almost everything we used to have in common is now “politically Incorrect”
“the progs/libs/commies have been at war with us for 60+ years and most of the sheeple have slept through the whole war…”
Either sleeping OR profiting from our nation’s demise.
McConnell And Chao: As Corrupt As The Clintons:
https://www.redstate.com/joesquire/2018/03/19/mcconnell-chao-corrupt-clintons/
Had to go poking around the site to see the sign:
My existence > Your opinion
My immediate question for this individual is if the statement is a universal truth? If so, MY existence is also > than HER opinion, and I have the right to ignore her infantile whining.
Vassar should annex CUNY Law to get a graduate school racketeering practice.
And, bear in mind, some (but, hopefully, precious few) of these infantile twits will eventually become law firm partners, judges and law professors themselves, where, I would submit, their rank incivility, self-congratulatory sanctimony, petulance and self-perceived moral and intellectual superiority will be as odious and poisonous as their Leftist totalitarian ideological bent.
You should think twice before dismissing the first amendment, because it is literally the only reason you are able to be here disrupting this lecture. Look, you idiot, we are the majority, and we control the government. If not for the first amendment, we could round you all up and put you on a boat to North Korea. You should be worshiping the first amendment right now. You should be getting it tattooed on your whatevers, reciting it morning and evening, and pouncing on any attempt to disparage it or to nibble away at it. And yet here you are, undercutting your own protection. If it were up to me I’d say you’re now estopped from invoking it, and I would send you on that trip. Be thankful I’m only a professor and not the president.
To the lady with the first poster – you mean like conservative law professors at liberal universities? That kind of ‘marginalized person?
Let’s don’t call her a lady.
After 22 years in the practice of law, preceded by 15 years in law enforcement, I am glad to be retiring soon. One day these pampered children may find out, that just because they might be considered lawyers, no one will do what they want them to do. I know I will certainly ignore them. Can’t wait to tell the first “lawyer” to piss off. Tp paraphrase Stalin, how many divisions do they have ?
Except that “tenure” is a purely prog notion and not a conservative practice AT ALL. Tenure should be abolished for all professors everywhere. No other industry has institutionalized the inability to be fired. (Yes, I’m aware of the civil service system, which POTUS will I hope systematically change.)
Hello, fellow hrh.
I have tenure, but it doesn’t mean I can’t be fired. It means that I have to be fired for cause, and I have the ability to call for a hearing in front of my institution’s BOT to make my case.
My institution has fired three professors over the last two years. It can be done.
The Curse Of Cultural Marxism
Progressivism is Marxism attempting to wear a liberal mask, and failing.
https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=arY4Q_1523375887
How many of the protesters were CUNY students?
I smell the putrid stench of Soros money . . .
“The First Amendment is not a licence to …” says one poster.
And, these are LAW STUDENTS? Who don’t understand that the First Amendment is not about “license”? Because, we DON’T need A LICENSE to speak in the USA?
“The First Amendment is not a License to Dehumanize Marginalized People”
Ask yourself .. Who are these “Marginalized People” ?
The irony .. the irony.
I can imagine an organizer of the disruption, probably a paid Soros loser, getting a chuckle and a sense of power, when he realized he could get those stupid law students to actually shout, “F the law!”
He’s probably laughing with his friends right now about how dumb they are.
Useful idiots always have their place on the left.
The Curse Of Cultural Marxism
Progressivism is Marxism attempting to wear a liberal mask, and failing.
https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=arY4Q_1523375887
“When ideology is your guide, you’re bound to get lost. Ideology deludes, inspires dishonesty, and breeds fanaticism. Facts, experience, and logic are much better at leading you to the truth. Truth, however, is not everyone’s intended destination.”- Daniel J. Flynn, Intellectual Morons
The constant suppression of free speech will result in violence. And the first time some of these fascists get perforated 2nd Amendment-style for suppressing the 1st Amendment of others, I’ll lift a glass. Tired of it.
So does anyone at this school have the cojones to expel these communists? If these colleges and universities keep tolerating this criminal behavior, it will only get worse.
“Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.”
― William F. Buckley Jr.
“I’d be very happy to tell them I’m not a liberal at all…I’m not comfortable with those people.”
– John F. Kennedy
If the law students carrying the “F___ the law” signs” had any integrity, they would withdraw from law school and go do what they believe in doing.
They don’t of course, so they’ll see it through to graduation and then prattle off to their wannabe virtue-signaling careers at some foundation.
I’m just amazed that the faculty and Dean of there CUNY law school have not risen to the defense of the integrity of the law. Are they of the same belief as these foolish students? And has anyone challenged them?
Time for the President to treat these institutions and SJW students as violators of civil rights and treat them like the KKK and KKK government officials.
these protesting students obviously have no learned anything about law, and should be force to begin all over again as freshman, or be expelled
these individuals are not suited to be lawyers as they say
A student shouted out “Fuck the law.” This comment stunned me. I replied, “Fuck the law? That’s a very odd thing. You are all in law school. And it is a bizarre thing to say fuck the law when you are in law school.” They all started to yell and shout over me.
As long as these individuals see Mueller disregarding the law and they know that this sentiment is pervasive on the Federal level, they know they can get away with anything they do and/or say and there will be no consequences for their actions.
Being a stupid law student is not license to say stupid stuff on signs.