Free Speech on Campus - The Day Hate Came to Town and United our School
Hate arrived on campus this week in the form of a protest group spewing invective against almost everyone. Or was it just free speech? This organization was a religious one purporting to spread the word of GOD by condemning in turn: Muslims, Jews, Latinos, Feminists, Gays, Masturbators and many more. They even had a sign that read: "Whores Deserve STD's" which was prominently displayed.
We were sitting in the lunchroom when the chanting started, with a large crowd developing around a pitifully small number of people behind yellow caution tape. I was only able to snap off one photo before security ordered everyone back. The two sides were both filming each other when I noticed the banner promoting their website. Promotion - that's what this was all about, which is why I decided not to publish the picture and give them even more exposure.
Like the "Church" that attacks deceased members at military funerals, these guys were all about spreading fear and passing judgment, instead of sharing a positive message of peace and love. After the recent killings in El Paso, Texas, members of the Hispanic community here were particularly upset with one girl screaming and crying in anguish at them. The truth is, life is too short to let someone else ruin your day. That's a notion that I wish more people would begin to realize as we step forward in this journey of life.
We were told that the protestors were filming us for their own protection, but I couldn't help but wonder if this encounter would end up as content to help recruit new members on their website. Everything they said seemed intended to shock and provoke a response. It made me think: "What if they gave a protest and nobody came?" People like these use specialized tactics to divide. Unity and understanding where someone else is coming from is not on the agenda.
Like a reverse magnet...
I've always been puzzled as to why conservatives want to speak at one of the last bastions of liberalism in America: the college campus. This is Bernie Sanders country, and you're not going to change anyone's mind in Portland or Seattle. If anything, you'll draw them even closer to Antifa, thus ruining your objective in the first place. Also, a screed of pure, unbridled hate tends to turn people off. This was reinforced by the angry reaction of the crowd.
At the end of the day, after they'd shouted themselves hoarse, they packed up their signs and went on their way. You know what? the republic still stood. The sky didn't fall and we were all a little closer than we were before. Kinda funny how things work out that way, isn't it?
The other upshot of this is that here was a prime example of American freedom of speech in action. The college staff repeatedly stressed that they had a right to protest no matter how vile the message was. It reminded me of that spot in England called Speakers Corner, where you can speak your mind to the general public. The Libertarian in me is glad I live in a country where the sweet scent of freedom is still in the air...
Thank you so much!
Follow Me: @evernoticethat
Join Actifit through my referral link and let's stay active while earning AFIT tokens together.
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/EverNoticeThat
image credit: 1
Good for you, your camps and community. This was a perfect morning read for me. Much better than morning news tv or the paper
Posted using Partiko Android
Thanks. I was so proud of my fellow students and saw it as quite a teachable moment for us all. Hearing some in the audience connect it with the events in Texas, really brought it home for me.
I'm in complete agreement, and whenever I see or hear someone spewing hate speech, I don't even bother engaging them. I simply walk away.
Online, I will occasionally try to be the voice of reason, but realistically I know I'm only getting through to those who already agree with me, and am unlikely to be changing many minds.
I'll admit to being human enough to still regularly getting pissed at the latest anti-American invectives of our current parasite-in-chief, but then I remind myself that he is after all exhibiting increasing signs of dementia, even as he commits more impeachable acts on an almost daily basis. Especially in recent days, he amounts to little more than an old man screaming at the wind, or at kids to get off his damned lawn.
I retain hope in those long-term members of government (who haven't been fired yet) who are keeping their heads down while doing their best to prevent him from doing permanent harm to our nation.
What hatemongerers never seem to realize is that they are operating from a basic foundation of weakness. And, while dividing and painting all groups with the same hate brush, have that weakness on full display for all to witness.
It is those who love, and who seek to unite others, who are truly strong. Love conquers all in the end. ;-)
Posted using Partiko Android
What's that old saying? "You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar." Why they don't see the reasoning in that is beyond me. Seeing what they were up to, I was not about to promote their website. I even convinced a number of students to not post their videos online. We are more alike than we are different. Truly. Stronger. Together.
Indeed we are. And more resilient too.
You have been curated by @enginewitty on behalf of Inner Blocks: a community encouraging first hand content, with each individual living their best life, and being responsible for their own well being. #innerblocks Check it out at @innerblocks for the latest information and community updates, or to show your support via delegation.
Thanks for the support @enginewitty
Hi @evernoticethat!
Your post was upvoted by @steem-ua, new Steem dApp, using UserAuthority for algorithmic post curation!
Your UA account score is currently 3.636 which ranks you at #6068 across all Steem accounts.
Your rank has dropped 13 places in the last three days (old rank 6055).
In our last Algorithmic Curation Round, consisting of 117 contributions, your post is ranked at #27.
Evaluation of your UA score:
Feel free to join our @steem-ua Discord server
good ol' Westboro Baptist church... they're still going at it i guess.