Free Speech Died At UC Berkley

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Fear of loss is always more powerful than expectation of gain. That was very evident on the University of California – Berkley campus Wednesday night.

The University asked Breitbart editor and conservative provocateur, Milo Yiannopoulos to speak to students at the university.

Heckler’s Veto

Demonstrators immediately evoked the Heckler’s Veto — violent demonstrations designed to create an unsafe environment for those who came to hear the speech.

Only approved speech is allowed by these demonstrators. No alternative views are welcome. We can’t permit the free exchange of ideas when they are ideas we oppose.

I would bet most of the demonstrators had never heard of Milo Yiannopoulos or Breitbart.

So what’s the big deal about this speech?

Yiannopoulos is everything that violates the demonstrator’s ideology. Can you wrap your mind around a gay, right wing, Trump supporter, who believes gays should go back in the closet?

Someone who in 2015 toured college campuses around the nation with a program called The Dangerous Fagot Tour?

The Unintended Consequences of the Unrest

As mentioned earlier probably only one in 10 protestors had any clue as to who this guy is. Would you still demonstrate if you knew your demonstration would actually benefit the speaker?

Well as it turns out when a name makes news people start looking that person up trying to find out why he needs to be silenced?

The result is his book, Dangerous, jumped to #5 in Amazon Books and number one in political humor books as of this writing.

Some Final Thoughts

I have no problems with demonstrations. But when they turn violent you automatically lose me as a fan of your cause.

If there’s one single place on earth where all views, on any topic, should be welcomed, it’s America’s college campuses.

Today’s students are in for a rude awakening when they punch a time clock for the first time. Only those who excel get a trophy and a red pen will be used during your employee evaluation.

There are no safe zones with puppies and coloring books if you have a bad day at work. You’ll also find that there are those who will stand up to you no matter what names you brand them with.

Life is a tough teacher. You get the test first then the material you need to succeed.

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