The Main Casualty of Cancelled Trump Rally Is The Idea of Free Speech

[RonPaulGeorge&Ringo]

http://reason.com/blog/2016/03/12/the-main-casualty-of-cancelled-trump-ral


The anti-free-speech mentality that's extremely pervasive throughout the American left that is summed by the slogan of a prominent Bernie Sanders supporter who helped organize the anti-Trump show in Chicago: “Everyone, get your tickets to this. We’re all going in!!!! ‪#‎SHUTITDOWN‬."

Shut it down! How cool is that? It's just like a college campus, where speakers aren't challenged on unpopular viewpoints but simply disinvited or shouted down to a degree that a thug's veto prevails.

Gregu Lukianoff, head honcho at The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), has articulated that we haven't been debating about the conditions under which free speech might be allowed for some years now. Instead, and far more troubling, we are debating whether the idea of free speech can even be justified anymore. On both the left and the right (which has its own version of political correctness and has rarely been slow to try and stifle voices with which it disagrees), most people are pushing for what Lukianoff says is "freedom from speech." Public debate, it seems, is no longer a means by which to search for truth, knowledge, and common ground, but only a venue for speech that expresses unthinking solidarity with whatever you already believe.

[silverhandorder]

They going to get a response. It works if people feel guilty and afraid. Trump people are pissed. So this is not going to work. And Trump is not one to back down either.

[AuH20]

At some point, the left must be put it's in place. Then maybe you can start to rebuild and begin the internal discussions amongst our ourselves.

[Ronin Truth]

Trump's free speech? Who paid for the rally?

[angelatc]

At some point, the left must be put it's in place. Then maybe you can start to rebuild and begin the internal discussions amongst our ourselves.

I agree. White middle America seemingly can't say anything without offending someone these days. They were called violent terrorists for protesting health care. They're routinely called racist and greedy.

The left is endlessly aggressive - it's the nature of the philosophy.

[AuH20]

I agree. White middle America seemingly can't say anything without offending someone these days. They were called violent terrorists for protesting health care. They're routinely called racist and greedy.

The left is endlessly aggressive - it's the nature of the philosophy.

And the left just doesn't consist of your garden variety utopianist. The left probably includes 60% of the Republican Party as well.

[twomp]

I agree. White middle America seemingly can't say anything without offending someone these days. They were called violent terrorists for protesting health care. They're routinely called racist and greedy.

The left is endlessly aggressive - it's the nature of the philosophy.

White middle America huh? Have you not noticed the make up of Congress? Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton.... WHITE!! The majority of Congress.... WHITE..... But go ahead and play the victim. It's because of the minorities yet the laws are passed by..... WHITES.... Hell even the first Black President is half WHITE...

[erowe1]

Oh yeah, sure. The idea of free speech was alive and well all this time. And then all of a sudden this event killed it.

[robert68]

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump 3h3 hours ago

Just finished my second speech. 20K in Dayton & 25K in Cleveland- perfectly behaved crowd. Thanks- I love you, Ohio!

Yea "free speech" was killed.

[hankrichter12]

Well, I have to eat my own words, I was criticizing Reason earlier for not speaking on this, they have my apologies.


I agree. White middle America seemingly can't say anything without offending someone these days. They were called violent terrorists for protesting health care. They're routinely called racist and greedy.


The left is endlessly aggressive - it's the nature of the philosophy.


And the left just doesn't consist of your garden variety utopianist. The left probably includes 60% of the Republican Party as well.

Great posts both of you.


White middle America huh? Have you not noticed the make up of Congress? Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton.... WHITE!! The majority of Congress.... WHITE..... But go ahead and play the victim. It's because of the minorities yet the laws are passed by..... WHITES.... Hell even the first Black President is half WHITE...

Yeah, and they are all from middle america...oy vei, this one needs some nootropics.

[angelatc]

And the left just doesn't consist of your garden variety utopianist. The left probably includes 60% of the Republican Party as well.

Oh yes, absolutely! The John McCain / Gang of 8 wing of the party went after the TEA Party plenty of times. Calling them lazy spoiled, hobbits, racists.

This was a huge win for Trump. I don't have a dog in the hunt, but on Facebook Cruz supporters were angry that Cruz took the liberal side.

The liberals call him a wimp for backing down, but if he had gone ahead and a riot had ensued, they would have blamed him for inciting it. (They're already halfway there, insisting he started it with his mean, aggressive words.) And yet he walked away the winner.

Makes me sad that a peaceful, thoughtful candidate like Ron Paul was accused of instigating violence, of being a racist...but couldn't win a primary.

[robert68]

In a statement, Sanders said:

As is the case virtually every day, Donald Trump is showing the American people that he is a pathological liar. Obviously, while I appreciate that we had supporters at Trump’s rally in Chicago, our campaign did not organize the protests.

What caused the protests at Trump’s rally is a candidate that has promoted hatred and division against Latinos, Muslims, women, and people with disabilities, and his birther attacks against the legitimacy of President Obama.

What caused the violence at Trump’s rally is a campaign whose words and actions have encouraged it on the part of his supporters . He recently said of a protester, ‘I want to punch him in the face.’ Another time Trump yearned for the old days when the protester would have been punched and “carried out on a stretcher.’ Then just a few days ago a female reporter apparently was assaulted by his campaign manager.

When that is what the Trump campaign is doing, we should not be surprised that there is a response.

What Donald Trump must do now is stop provoking violence and make it clear to his supporters that people who attend his rallies or protest should not be assaulted, should not be punched, should not be kicked. In America people have a right to attend a political rally without fear of physical

http://www.politicususa.com/2016/03/12/enraged-bernie-sanders-obliterates-trump-blaming-campaign-violence.html

[Cabal]

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[SpiritOf1776_J4]

Leftists have been trying to kill it for years. Stopping someone's speech by force and disruption is ok in their books.

[angelatc]

Leftists have been trying to kill it for years. Stopping someone's speech by force and disruption is ok in their books.

They don't mind using the government to come after private property, but they don't want their supporters to come after private property.

Something doesn't quite mesh.