Fewer old-time pro-free speech liberals left on campuses
“the loudmouths and the bigmouths, and the social justice warriors, really have intimidated just about everybody”
I appeared on Monday evening, October 30, 2017, on the Mark Levin Show to talk about my recent experiences at Vassar College, as previously documented in these posts:
- Safe Spaces and Safety Teams at Vassar College for My Lecture on Free Speech
- Actual Malice at Vassar College
The short version is that I had a scheduled lecture on “hate speech” and free speech on campus, including a discussion of whether “hate speech” should be banned at Vassar, and if so, who decides what “hate speech” is. I intended to present the legal reality that “hate speech” is still free speech, even after Charlottesville.
The topic made me a target. Hundreds of students, faculty and staff were whipped into a frenzy by factually false accusations against me and regarding my appearance. Among other things, the campus was misled into thinking that I, and supposed “neo-Nazis and white supremacists” who were likely to attend with me, were going to target non-white, LGBT and Jewish students. It was all a fabrication.
The Vasser Student Association even tried to get Vassar’s president to cancel my appearance.
The appearance went forward under heavy security. Over 200 students listened to my 45 minute lecture that was followed by a Question and Answer period that was almost twice as long. You can view the lecture here, and the Q&A session here.
I discussed these events with Mark Levin.
My main point for the interview was how this is part of a concerted effort to silence conservative voices on campus. Mainstream conservatives are smeared as being the equivalent of a White Supremacist like Richard Spencer, and claims are made that such mainstream conservatives are a threat to campus safety.
Even when we are allowed to speak, the price to pay in harm to one’s reputation (not to mention the stress) helps silence others, including old-time liberals who might otherwise agree with us on free speech issues. Those old-time pro-free speech liberals remain silent while the social justice warriors run the show.
Here is the interview:
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Comments
Who thought we would miss Mario Savio?
It’s a funny thing about iconoclasts, they get what they want and go for more until they reach absurdity and can’t see it. Meantime, while they are flush with winning, a backlash will build behind them. These SJW fascists are so at war with the past that the present and near future will roll over them.
We can only hope….. 😉
Way to go Prof. Jacobson. I heard you last night.
Professor,
Thanks for your blog. Much content helps me understand various aspects of law. I look forward to your blog’s explanations in the future pertaining to what is occurring in D.C. If there were a hint of anything racial about your posts or from the other authors, I would not visit. 🙂
…including a discussion of whether “hate speech” should be banned at Vassar, and if so, who decides what “hate speech” is.
‘Who decides’ reminds me of the old debate about “What is pornography?”, and the people who would say “I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it”.
This topic comes up in the Q&A.
I highly recommend watching both the presentation and the Q&A… well worth the time.
You seem to be on the left’s ‘must destroy at all costs’ list. Congrats, prof! A testament to the effectiveness of this blog and your message.
Free Speech is Downstream of Territory.
You are viewing this phenomenon too narrowly. while stifling the speech of conservatives is part of it, it is so much broader than that. The ultimate goal of this movement is to eliminate free speech and other personal freedoms entirely. It is the ultimate dream of totalitarians to stop people from freely expressing themselves.
A significant totalitarian movement has arisen on the left. It is largely a thugocracy wherein the “thugs” get to determine what is proper and what is not. If their wishes are not granted, then they totally forego the rule of law and resort to violence to achieve their goals. As long as the thugs are allowed to continue this practice, there will be no0 peace in society. society, as a whole, gets to make the rules governing behavior, not any specif minority. And, to survive, society has to enforce those rules.
Great interview Professor! I love how Mark let you talk, and didn’t interrupt your salient points, and your expression that the students are hungry for diversity of thought.
I hope those students will now have more open minds and think for themselves a bit more, even with all the indoctrination and intimidation that surrounds them.
I happened to be out late last night in the car and caught your appearance around 8:30 PM E.D.T. You did well.
Great segment with Levin, Professor.
Let me know if I can be of help.