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posted by Fnord666 on Thursday February 15 2018, @03:09PM   Printer-friendly
from the the-cost-of-free-speech dept.

From Cleveland.com:

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Kent State University, facing the threat of a lawsuit, reiterated on Friday that it cannot accommodate a request to allow white nationalist Richard Spencer to speak in early May as part of his campus tour.

The university, which is based in Kent but has regional campuses elsewhere in the state, said it had responded to attorney Kyle Bristow reaffirming its earlier response that no suitable space is available for Spencer to speak between April 30 and May 12.

Bristow had told Kent State it had until the end of business Friday to agree to rent space at an "acceptable date and time" or face a lawsuit. Several other schools, including Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati, are in litigation over Spencer.

Tour organizer Cameron Padgett wanted Spencer to speak at Kent State on the May 4 anniversary of Ohio National Guard shootings that killed four students during anti-war protests in 1970. The university said early May is too busy with activities around the end of the academic year.

Bristow said last year that Spencer planned to speak March 14 on the University of Cincinnati campus, but the university said there was no contract in place, and the two sides are now in a legal standoff over the university's demand for a security fee of nearly $11,000.


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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Thursday February 15 2018, @03:22PM (74 children)

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @03:22PM (#638255) Journal

    I have zero damned empathy or sympathy for "protestors" who attempt to block a scheduled speaker from speaking. Don't care if that speaker is a lowlife skinhead, or Latino, or a Communist, or even a pedophile Catholic priest.

    In this case, Kent State says, "No, we don't want you. You're not invited." Skinhead has no recourse. Get over it, Snowflake!!

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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by DannyB on Thursday February 15 2018, @03:51PM (35 children)

    by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @03:51PM (#638264) Journal

    Being opposed to a Skinhead does not make one a Snowflake. But name calling definitely helps boost your argument.

    I am open to listening to opinions that I am predisposed to be opposed to, or that make me uncomfortable. But at my own choosing of whether or not to listen.

    The university has some form of governance. That governance mechanism should have control of who they invite or even allow to speak.

    It is a sad reality that there are lines to be drawn. All I have to do is put on my troll hat and imagine how I might troll the university with the most ridiculous, profoundly absurd, scientifically ridiculous, violence promoting, or any other type of subject matter. And I can imagine some pretty bad possibilities. Promotion of dead baby road kill. My point here is simply that the university must rightfully have authority to control university activities.

    Promoters of my hypothetical dead baby road kill can still have their free speech. Elsewhere. Just like certain trolls or spammers are modded away right here on SN.

    Furthermore promoters of certain ideas can and in actual fact do create real and genuine security problems that bring a certain cost with them. If you would deny the university the right to reject certain speakers, then at least give them the right to not have to pay the security costs. Otherwise, I think it is fair play that all conservative and right leaning venues should be required to both host and pay for the security of whatever outlandish speakers I can think of. After all, it is only fair. I have a few speaker ideas for, just to pick one, Liberty University.

    If snowflake is the insult to use for someone with opinions you don't like, then your opinion of who is a snowflake makes you a snowflake.

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    • (Score: 4, Insightful) by DannyB on Thursday February 15 2018, @04:58PM

      by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @04:58PM (#638294) Journal

      More concisely: If you want to pull the trigger on forcing venues to host anyone and foot the security costs, I can definitely think of some ways that you will not like how the shoe fits on the other foot.

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    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @05:13PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @05:13PM (#638301)

      Did you even read what he wrote, or did you just kneejerk on "snowflake'?

      • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday February 15 2018, @05:17PM

        by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @05:17PM (#638308) Journal

        I did read it fully. I did misinterpret something, as I point out further below. The snowflake part could be interpreted to mean two very different things.

        Still my point that Richard Spencer should not be able to force a venue to accept him.

        And for those who want that to force that to happen I would point out that the Goose and the Gander have compatible ports without need of any kind of special adapter for compatibility.

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    • (Score: 0, Flamebait) by arcz on Thursday February 15 2018, @05:18PM (11 children)

      by arcz (4501) on Thursday February 15 2018, @05:18PM (#638309) Journal
      There's an issue. The security is the State's responsibility. We don't pay for the police, that's what taxes are for. Spencer is entitled to have the taxpayers pay for security just like anyone else is when violent people attack them.
      • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday February 15 2018, @05:49PM

        by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @05:49PM (#638325) Journal

        I agree.

        In addition, it is not only Spencer who is entitled to have taxpayer funded security, but also the venue that might suffer massive property damage or worse.

        Police security, sadly, may not be adequate (for either Spencer or the venue). So now who pays for security?

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      • (Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @08:33PM (9 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @08:33PM (#638425)

        Spencer has no right to security paid for by taxpayers, when he is causing the need for security in the first place!

        This is like saying that the city has provide me a squad of police officers to protect me when I walk up to a gang of bikers, and call them all "faggots".

        • (Score: 2) by arcz on Thursday February 15 2018, @09:00PM (5 children)

          by arcz (4501) on Thursday February 15 2018, @09:00PM (#638439) Journal
          Wrong. He has a right to speak. The hecklers are causing the problem, not Spencer.
          • (Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @09:11PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @09:11PM (#638443)

            Faggot!

          • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:07PM (1 child)

            by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:07PM (#638465) Journal

            He has a right to speak.

            He does not have a right for force any venue to let him speak there.

            He can to on FoxNews or InfoWars or wherever like minded people go. I'm sure they will welcome him with open arms.

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            • (Score: 1, Troll) by arcz on Sunday February 18 2018, @07:59PM

              by arcz (4501) on Sunday February 18 2018, @07:59PM (#639790) Journal
              Actually the issue is that if the university allows anyone to rent out the space, they can't selectively deny it.
          • (Score: 1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:32PM (1 child)

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:32PM (#638480)

            So he needs protection from people heckling? Shouldn't use a public venue then. Damn bigots are the most sensitive little shits around.

            • (Score: 2) by Wootery on Friday February 16 2018, @12:11PM

              by Wootery (2341) on Friday February 16 2018, @12:11PM (#638778)

              So he needs protection from people heckling?

              Yes. Anyone who tries to shout over a talk, should be escorted out by security. No-one seems to have the balls to actually do this, unfortunately - this childish misbehaviour is increasingly becoming normalised. I don't see that this changes just because it's a public institution. What would you expect to happen if you started screaming over the judge in court?

              Picket outside, or even at the back of the lecture hall, but you don't get to shout over the speaker then whine if you get removed.

        • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:20PM (2 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:20PM (#638470)

          when he is causing the need for security in the first place!

          The people who would do violence are causing the need for security.

          This is like saying that the city has provide me a squad of police officers to protect me when I walk up to a gang of bikers, and call them all "faggots".

          You do not have a right to physically assault others just because you're offended by their speech, so yes, police officers should protect you if that biker gang attempts to assault you. Take responsibility for your own actions.

          Oh, and the "fighting words" standard was invented entirely by the courts. It makes literally zero sense to blame a speaker because someone else make the individual decision to assault them for something they said. The first amendment has no exception for "fighting words" either. It's just another bogus limitation on our rights created by authoritarian judges.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:39PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:39PM (#638488)

            Another faggot! Your mother smelled of elderberries!

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:57PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:57PM (#638502)

            GENIUS!

            I'm going to go into every city that voted for trump and trash talk him until someone takes a swing at me. Then I will sue the city and demand that a police squad follow me around to protect me from the violent public. I will repeat this process until I bankrupt the cities. MAGA!@!!

            I'll just be glad that you're an insignificunt fly on four year turd being dropped on the U.S.A

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by frojack on Thursday February 15 2018, @06:24PM (14 children)

      by frojack (1554) on Thursday February 15 2018, @06:24PM (#638352) Journal

      The university has some form of governance. That governance mechanism should have control of who they invite or even allow to speak.

      Why should a publicly funded university control who they allow to speak?

      There are hundreds of empty classrooms and lecture halls that sit empty every evening. Rent them all out for the price of the janitorial services, arrest, fine, expel those who disrupt such speakers. After all, there is another dark empty lecture hall just down the corridor for those with opposing views.

      More to the point, Universities ARE THEMSELVES a form of government, an arm of the government, funded by State and Federal funds. Their express purpose is to educate, encourage debate, and allow the free exchange of Ideas and to provide a forum for free speech. Freedom of speech is the liberty to speak openly without fear of government restraint.

      For Universities to start unilaterally cutting off debate and the free flow of Ideas is directly counter to their function, and the First Amendment.

      The problem isn't the speakers.

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      • (Score: 2) by HiThere on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:07PM

        by HiThere (866) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:07PM (#638373) Journal

        I pretty much agree with you up until the very last line. I'd change that to "The problem isn't just the speakers.".

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      • (Score: 2, Troll) by DeathMonkey on Thursday February 15 2018, @09:17PM (1 child)

        by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday February 15 2018, @09:17PM (#638447) Journal

        Why should a publicly funded university control who they allow to speak?

        Yeah, screw teachers! We should just let any random nutjob off the street teach classes. How dare they control who speaks!

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:25PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:25PM (#638477)

          What does that have to do with anything? The university has a process for inviting speakers, and if someone follows that process, I don't think a public university should be allowed to deplatform them after the fact because they don't like what they might say, or because other people might do violence in response to their words. Teachers have absolutely nothing to do with the system the universities have in place for inviting speakers. Either stop allowing anyone to give speeches or accept that bad people will give speeches sometimes.

      • (Score: 2, Troll) by DannyB on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:13PM (6 children)

        by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:13PM (#638468) Journal

        I did say: It is a sad reality that there are lines to be drawn.

        It is sad. But it is true.

        Do you think the university should allow a person to speak advocating (insert the worst imaginable things I can think of here)?

        I would agree with you that that line should be pretty far into letting all kinds of diverse speakers and viewpoints be heard. But I cannot seem to escape the idea that there is some boundary somewhere that the university must just insist NO WAY.

        Sorry it is not as ideal as you or I might like. But we're talking about speakers and viewpoints stated by human beings. Therefore there MUST be some ultimate limits. Or so it seems. There is some line somewhere beyond crazy where nobody is actually being helped. It is not advancing human knowledge. Etc.

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        • (Score: 2) by insanumingenium on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:33PM (4 children)

          by insanumingenium (4824) on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:33PM (#638482) Journal
          I disagree, wholeheartedly.

          As an example taken to absurdity, I personally consider everything TheMightBuzzard writes to be 100% beyond the pale. I think he should be entirely prevented from speaking in public. How is your line, wherever you draw it, any more objectively true than mine? Can you draw any line that doesn't by definition disenfranchise somebody? Doesn't the fact that there are hypothetical humans to advance these hypothetically universally despised viewpoints imply that there is someone the statement helps?

          . I am trying to be lighthearted here, but I really don't understand how you can advocate a limit on pure speech. No offense meant TMB, you are just an easy person to pick on, others here might take me seriously.
          • (Score: 3, Insightful) by DannyB on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:59PM (2 children)

            by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:59PM (#638507) Journal

            I consider everything TheMightyBuzzard writes to be perfectly fine to say in public. I am free to agree or disagree. On SN you can even mod if you wish. Or better yet, reply. I am thinking of a line that is far removed from most posters here on SN. The ones I would put outside the line generally are modded to oblivian before I even see their posts. And nothing they say contributes to the advancement of human knowledge any any way.

            I AM NOT suggesting limiting speech itself. I am suggesting that any venue, even a state supported venue, should have some right and authority to exclude certain speech. Those speakers are perfectly free to speak. Just somewhere else. There are venues and platforms that would welcome them. Maybe 4chan. Or FoxNews. Or InfoWars. Or FaceTwit.

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            • (Score: 2) by insanumingenium on Thursday February 15 2018, @11:28PM (1 child)

              by insanumingenium (4824) on Thursday February 15 2018, @11:28PM (#638525) Journal
              I understand that you were trying to identify something which is by definition abhorrent, but if there is someone who is pushing it, clearly there is someone who disagrees about its abhorrence. Put another way, I don't think it is any more ethical to disenfranchise a minority of one than any other minority opinion.

              I think that you are putting a false reason behind free speech, we don't have freedom of speech so that we can advance human knowledge, we have it because anything else is tyranny

              I referenced TMB precisely because he doesn't believe in censorship, even those comments that you claim are modded to oblivion, I can and sometimes do read.

              If a venue can exclude "certain" speech, how can you define that as anything other that limiting speech itself?
              • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday February 16 2018, @02:51PM

                by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Friday February 16 2018, @02:51PM (#638816) Journal

                My remark about advancing human knowledge is merely an attempt to attach a level of value to certain 'speech' if you wish to dignify it as such.

                I don't consider it disenfranchising anyone if venues are allowed to refuse to host them. They can still speak. People can still listen. That is the right you are so concerned about. People don't have to listen. Other people don't have to pay to host your speech or pay for security for it. You can speak all you want. People can listen all they want.

                Certain venues might welcome you to speak if they aren't so utterly and complete repulsed by it, and the associated costs.

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          • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @11:04PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @11:04PM (#638511)

            This isn't about censorship, it is about not providing a platform. If you can't understand the difference then this is a stupid conversation.

        • (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @12:01AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @12:01AM (#638543)

          Thank God there’s some sanity on this site. I can’t stand the idea of imams being able to speak in public forums and it seems there are other like minded individuals here!

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:41PM (3 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:41PM (#638489)

        Freedom of speech is the liberty to speak openly without fear of government restraint.

        That is called "tenure", and Spencer doesn't have it.

        • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday February 15 2018, @11:01PM (2 children)

          by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @11:01PM (#638510) Journal

          Even non-tenured can speak. Just somewhere else.

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          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @01:45AM (1 child)

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @01:45AM (#638584)

            Yeah, down at the local Pint & Jigger, with all the Jocks and Fratboys. Why doesn't Richard (Dick) Spenser just speak there?

            • (Score: 2, Troll) by aristarchus on Friday February 16 2018, @05:52AM

              by aristarchus (2645) on Friday February 16 2018, @05:52AM (#638695) Journal

              After all, his model may well be The Beer-hall Putsch [wikipedia.org] Frumping drunk Nazis!

              Of course, no real American would ever attempt such a treasonous act against the constitution, unless they somehow thought that white people were someone better or different than other people. Perhaps superior, and destined to Rule? And maybe, in the long run, authorized to liquidate all the "lesser" species of humans, like people who park in handicap stalls without a permit, or people who think they are superior, when in fact they do not know the difference between "rein" and "reign" (looking at you, VLM, you fucking Nazi Looser!). This is why we cannot have White supremacy, and it is also why all I want for Christmas is a White Genocide.

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by HiThere on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:04PM (4 children)

      by HiThere (866) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:04PM (#638370) Journal

      The problem is this is a state supported school.

      This is a continual problem. To what extent should government money be used to determine what is available in the way of speech. The answer *ought* to be that it isn't, but this is wholly impractical. Only so many people can reasonably speak at the same time and place. And any selection is open to abuse.

      A reasonable answer might be that any speaker allowed must be requested by the students or faculty, and that the size of venue should be determined by the number of students and faculty that sign a petition requesting that speaker. This, of course, has its own problems, and is open to various kinds of abuse. But with a lot of detail work it might become a reasonable approach. E.g., I haven't mentioned costs, but it's not desirable that venues be for sale to the highest bidder. But cost recovery is important. Lots of details.

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      • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @08:44PM (2 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @08:44PM (#638429)

        The problem is this is a state supported school.

        No, that is not the problem at all. Do you think that Stanford, or Harvard, or Creighton should not have the same requirements for free speech, as universities? Catholic universities are Universities first, and Catholic second. The same applies to State Universities, they are not (well, should not be) propaganda instruments for the state.

        Secondly, being this is an aristarchus submission, it behooves one to check out the original, where one might see that the opening snarky comment reads: "Weaponized free speech deployed in Ohio." These alt-right types are trying to force their way onto universities for a reason, and the reason is that having a place, even a non-official invited place, at an institution of Higher Learning confers a certain legitimacy to the admittedly bonkers position being expounded. The Flat-earthers and the "Electric Universe" people would give their eye teeth just to give a talk at a real university, as would most fundie Christians (so far, they have been trying to found their own "Universities", but they are not really fooling anyone).

        So the alt-right finds some chumps, usually the College Republicans, since no one likes them anyway, to invite them on campus, and when the University community of scholars and Learned People suggest this is not a good idea, and the Administration says it is going to cost way more than it is worth, the Alt-wrongers can start crying "First Amendment", and threaten to sue, and still get all the press coverage, which is what aristarchus just helped them do. Win-win tactic for the alt-right.

        • (Score: 1, Redundant) by realDonaldTrump on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:04PM (1 child)

          by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:04PM (#638463) Homepage Journal

          Not many people know, there was something called Widmar v Vincent. Where some students at the State University were religious, they wanted to have religious meetings at the university. But VERY NASTY administrators told them "no." And our MAGNIFICENT Supreme Court gave those administrators a MAJOR SMACKDOWN!!!! Big time.

      • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:54PM

        by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:54PM (#638499) Journal

        The problem is this is a state supported school.

        Simple - privatise it for the day of May 4.

        (GRIN)

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  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by jdavidb on Thursday February 15 2018, @03:52PM (30 children)

    by jdavidb (5690) on Thursday February 15 2018, @03:52PM (#638266) Homepage Journal
    If you want a venue, you shouldn't be able to demand it. It should be given to you willingly, whether that be by a rental or purchase, or simply gratis. Demanding what other people have is despicable behavior, although of course it pales in comparison to this man's other despicable behavior.
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    • (Score: 3, Informative) by melikamp on Thursday February 15 2018, @05:48PM (29 children)

      by melikamp (1886) on Thursday February 15 2018, @05:48PM (#638324) Journal

      Not only he should be able to demand it, but he's demanding it, and he may yet win. The 1st amendment to the US Constitution protects Spencer's right to say absolutely anything, short of inciting people to break the law, or putting them in immediate danger. This protection fully extends to hate speech, whatever that is. If you are hailing from the left, then you surely want it to extend to the hate speech, because your constant whining about economic inequality is hate speech to 0.1% income percentile, and they will sew your mouth shut if the law lets them. So when a university starts discriminating against fascist speakers like Spencer, however hateful and abhorrent their views may seem, the speakers often sue, win, get reimbursed for the expense, and get the venue anyway.

      I am so well-prepared today :) because I was just in a car listening to the UC Davis talk radio, and the guy there was talking about this whole issue and Spencer in particular, and he brought up some very depressing stats. The guy seemed very leftish, mind it. Sorry if I botch the survey questions, but he said:

      When college students were asked, does the 1st amendment protect the right to hate speech directed at minorities? Something like 4 in 10 said no, which is completely false, with democratic-leaning students getting it significantly more wrong than republican-leaning ones. He conjectured it was due to how parents and grade schools approach the subject of hate speech and diversity. When asked, would it be legitimate for protesters to crash the event and shout so loud that the speaker can't be heard, a decent proportion of students, again around 40%, said yes, which is again incorrect in the sense that it's illegal, running afoul of the constitutionally protected right to free speech and peaceful assembly. I guess it could be worse :)

      At the same time I think it's OK for venues to take the cost of providing the security into account. If a particular speaker or even topic has good stats behind it, supporting a conclusion that there will be a violent protest, then the venue should be able to put the burden of paying for security on the speaker, regardless of who is likely to instigate violence, or for what reason. Yes, it will make it much more expensive for Nazis to speak on campuses, but it won't be unfair, because it's not the universities' fault. Schools simply cannot do anything that is likely to induce violence towards the students and the staff.

      An appropriate response from the administration should be, in my view, a constitutional literacy campaign together with scheduling a rebuttal speech following a controversial speaker, in the same venue and to the same audience, after a short break. It's not like it's hard to mount a vigorous defense against racial bigotry and fascism, especially when that side is presented by sleazy lunatics.

      • (Score: 3, Insightful) by frojack on Thursday February 15 2018, @06:34PM (5 children)

        by frojack (1554) on Thursday February 15 2018, @06:34PM (#638358) Journal

        there will be a violent protest, then the venue should be able to put the burden of paying for security on the speaker,

        Why?

        That's just another form of government intimidation of unpopular views. You are essentially endorsing open warfare rather than discussion.

        The proper response is to offer a second lecture hall for those opposed to any specific speaker. Protesters are free to carry on in that second lecture hall, but may not disrupt the proceedings they find abhorrent.

        Any attempt to disrupt a speaker, when an alternative venue is made available, should be met with police who get to keep all the fines levied.

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        • (Score: 2) by melikamp on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:12PM (4 children)

          by melikamp (1886) on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:12PM (#638374) Journal

          And who will be paying for the police work again? Police don't work for free. As you can plainly see, I am all for Spencer's right to express his political views, and I also believe that a university campus, out of all places, is a highly appropriate place to host someone expressing highly controversial views, even if the speaker is a poster of a troll. But I do not see how Spencer or anyone else can expect the taxpayer to foot his security bills whenever he purposefully hurls himself in the middle of a very hostile audience to present his views. We are not made of money, and there are rights, including this little number [wikisource.org], which also need protection.

          Offering a second lecture hall to anyone won't do anything. The same 40% of college students who are prepared to infringe on Spencer's constitutional right to free speech, however hypocritical and wrong that is with respect to the US law, could not give less of a damn. They don't want to be heard because, let's be fair, they don't have anything particularly smart to say. They just want Spencer to shut up and go away. So I don't see why it would be unfair for schools to require speakers who were attacked in the past to hire their own security detail, or else go and express their views somewhere else, like the net.

          I would concede that ideally, public venues should carry this burden. May be they should have a free-expression budget out of which to pay for the protection of free speech on campus, but I am trying to be realistic. As it stands, many public colleges and universities in USA lack sufficient funds to provide adequate instruction, and that for many complex reasons. So of course they can make a case that spending thousands of dollars to protect a visiting troll is a giant middle finger to their students. This money will certainly come out of the pile which would otherwise be spent on hiring another full-time political science faculty instructor, who certainly has her own opinions to share.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @08:03PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @08:03PM (#638406)

            I see absolutely no reason why universities should be a free-for-all, and freedom of speech != given a free soap box. If a student group reserves a location for whatever speaker they'd like then sure, but speakers don't just get to decide they'll have an auditorium on any state campus they'd like.

            Speaking of trolls, you sure seem like one with your closing line: "This money will certainly come out of the pile which would otherwise be spent on hiring another full-time political science faculty instructor, who certainly has her own opinions to share."

            UNDER THE BRIDGE FOUL BEAST!

          • (Score: 2, Insightful) by arcz on Thursday February 15 2018, @09:05PM (2 children)

            by arcz (4501) on Thursday February 15 2018, @09:05PM (#638440) Journal
            The police, not the university, ought to foot the bill. Actually, he should be able to speak regardless of whether there is security or not. And get this, the hecklers that throw objects, etc. should be ARRESTED BY THE POLICE AND SENT TO JAIL. Booing a speaker is fine. Attacking them is not. People who attack a speaker should be ARRESTED AND THROWN IN JAIL. And the POLICE are the ones who ought to do that. AND THE POLICE ARE PAID FOR BY TAXPAYERS. Spencer is entitled to have the police arrest his attackers just like any other person would be.
            • (Score: 0, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @01:48AM

              by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @01:48AM (#638586)

              Truly, arcx, you are dumber than a bag of hammers. Take your all caps, and stick them as magnets on your refridgerator door.

            • (Score: 3, Interesting) by melikamp on Friday February 16 2018, @07:42AM

              by melikamp (1886) on Friday February 16 2018, @07:42AM (#638735) Journal
              Why the police?? He's not speaking at a police station. I agree with you about arresting and prosecuting violent actors, but who is going to pay the police to be there in the first place? If it's all of us, then let's have a civilized discussion about which right is more important to protect with the limited resources we have: the right of some Nazi to troll the undergrads, or the right of the undergrads to get the education? Cuz all of that gravy coming out of the same place: the tax payer's purse. And if we decide we can't afford to furnish Spencer with goons, because we would rather spend our cash on teachers, then he can hire his own goons, or else go and troll somewhere the fuck else.
      • (Score: 5, Insightful) by DeathMonkey on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:22PM (2 children)

        by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:22PM (#638382) Journal

        The 1st amendment to the US Constitution protects Spencer's right to say absolutely anything,

        Not on my property it doesn't. Speak all you want. You don't get to demand the use of a private venue to do it, though.

        • (Score: 3, Informative) by melikamp on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:25PM (1 child)

          by melikamp (1886) on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:25PM (#638385) Journal
          That is true, I think, but this discussion pertains to public schools mostly.
          • (Score: 3, Interesting) by DannyB on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:21PM

            by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:21PM (#638472) Journal

            That still does not necessarily have to mean that the governing body of a public institution should be required to host any speaker, regardless of cost.

            If such a person is refused, then maybe you or like minded people should host this speaker that you think has so much to contribute to society regardless of cost.

            All persons are free to speak. Nobody should be forced to listen, nor even forced to provide a venue for them to speak -- including the government.

            The government cannot stop him from speaking. (but in fact government does take notice of certain kinds of speech!) But the government does not have to pay the bill for him to speak. (eg, other taxpayers do not have to pay for his ability to speak)

            There is a difference from STOPPING someone from speaking and declining to provide a venue for them to speak.

            Anyone can speak. And if their ideas are so great, there will hoardes of InfoWars, FoxNews, etc to provide them a megaphone.

            --
            To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
      • (Score: 2, Insightful) by jdavidb on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:42PM (6 children)

        by jdavidb (5690) on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:42PM (#638400) Homepage Journal
        The right to free speech does not trump my property rights. That's why the first amendment talks about the freedom of the press. You have the right to use your press, not the right to use my press. You have the right to use your auditorium; you do not have the right to use mine.
        --
        ⓋⒶ☮✝🕊 Secession is the right of all sentient beings
        • (Score: 2) by melikamp on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:49PM (5 children)

          by melikamp (1886) on Thursday February 15 2018, @07:49PM (#638403) Journal
          Kent State is a public institution.
          • (Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @08:19PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @08:19PM (#638417)

            Look here mr. "what is hate speech anyway" nazi apologist, there is no reason anyone is guaranteed a speaking location at any school. You seem to be mixing up a pre-approved student group invited speaker with someone trying to force their own approval.

            If some students invite Spencer to speak and then he is barred due to his ideological content, THEN you can argue its a free speech violation by a public institution. By your logic I should be able to walk into a court room during a trial and start spouting off nonsense because hey, its a public building right?

          • (Score: 3, Insightful) by leftover on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:53PM (3 children)

            by leftover (2448) on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:53PM (#638498)

            IANAL but I believe that the grounds and facilities of the university are not 'public property' in the sense being used here. Note that Spencer is not trying to pull this off in the state capital building or in a state park. He is using the common misapprehension that a university is some sort of open soapbox.

            --
            Bent, folded, spindled, and mutilated.
            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @12:04AM (2 children)

              by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @12:04AM (#638544)

              God forbid unpopular opinions be heard at a public university.

              • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @03:45AM (1 child)

                by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @03:45AM (#638644)

                It's a libertarian thing, isn't it? Yes, we have heard it all before. It is rubbish. You think either that we did not hear you the first time, or that by repeating your adolescent khallowian Ayn Rand positions repeatedly, we will somehow be convinced? No, we are not censuring you, we are just dismissing you. Much the same with neo-nazis, alt-righties, and Alex Jones. You're crazy. Get used to it.

                • (Score: 2) by jdavidb on Friday February 16 2018, @06:11PM

                  by jdavidb (5690) on Friday February 16 2018, @06:11PM (#638916) Homepage Journal
                  I don't think that's a libertarian thing. I'm a libertarian and I don't think people have a right to say whatever they want at a public funded university. If they did have such a right that would mean they are getting their right paid for at the expense of other people, who may not approve of what they are doing and saying.
                  --
                  ⓋⒶ☮✝🕊 Secession is the right of all sentient beings
      • (Score: 4, Insightful) by insanumingenium on Thursday February 15 2018, @08:07PM (12 children)

        by insanumingenium (4824) on Thursday February 15 2018, @08:07PM (#638408) Journal
        I want to understand your point better, because I fear I may have misunderstood it. Your second survey question

        When asked, would it be legitimate for protesters to crash the event and shout so loud that the speaker can't be heard, a decent proportion of students, again around 40%, said yes, which is again incorrect in the sense that it's illegal, running afoul of the constitutionally protected right to free speech and peaceful assembly.

        Are you trying to say that counter protesters don't have the same right to speech as the person they are protesting? How would one individuals free speech infringe on another's? How is it illegal? Isn't the constitutional protection of free speech to prevent government interference in speech, not private individuals?

        Don't get me wrong, I find such counter protests intolerably rude, and I don't think they are beneficial on the whole, but I can't see how they are any less protected.

        • (Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Thursday February 15 2018, @09:49PM (8 children)

          by realDonaldTrump (6614) on Thursday February 15 2018, @09:49PM (#638455) Homepage Journal

          Remember when @charlesmurray [twitter.com] -- terrific scholar and one of my biggest fans -- came to Middlebury? The administrators were great, very welcoming. The President introduced him. She said she didn't agree with him. But she wanted him to be HEARD!!!!!!!!

          But some of the students didn't want that, they SHOUTED HIM DOWN. He had to go to a VERY SPECIAL TV studio, he did an interview on Closed Circuit TV. He wanted to talk directly to the audience. You know, in the same room, right? But those HORRIBLE students wouldn't let him, they moved very strongly against him. They tried to shut him down. youtu.be/a6EASuhefeI [youtu.be]

          Let me tell you, there's something they taught me at Wharton, at Penn. That our colleges don't teach any more, it's like they don't teach it. It's called tolerance, folks.

          • (Score: 2) by insanumingenium on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:17PM (6 children)

            by insanumingenium (4824) on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:17PM (#638469) Journal

            You know you are a real soylentil when you get a personalized realDonaldTrump rant. I would love to live in a world where Trump preaches tolerance.

            • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:22PM (1 child)

              by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:22PM (#638474) Journal

              Yep. I have no tolerance for intolerant people.

              --
              To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
              • (Score: 2) by insanumingenium on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:36PM

                by insanumingenium (4824) on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:36PM (#638485) Journal

                There are only two things I can't stand in this world: People who are intolerant of other people's cultures, and the Dutch. - Nigel Powers

            • (Score: 4, Informative) by takyon on Thursday February 15 2018, @11:00PM (3 children)

              by takyon (881) <takyonNO@SPAMsoylentnews.org> on Thursday February 15 2018, @11:00PM (#638509) Journal

              https://factba.se/search#tolerance [factba.se]

              "When we open our hearts to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice, no place for bigotry, and no tolerance for hate."
              - President Donald J. Trump

              --
              [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
              • (Score: 3, Informative) by insanumingenium on Thursday February 15 2018, @11:45PM (2 children)

                by insanumingenium (4824) on Thursday February 15 2018, @11:45PM (#638535) Journal

                I would love few things more than to hear that sentiment from him more often. Though I hardly think 7 or so quotes that search found over his entire life qualify him as a "prince of peace", the rest of the results are about zero tolerance of various things. Even that very quote about inclusiveness in the military was seen as terribly hypocritical being given shortly after stating that transgendered people will not be allowed to serve in the military in any capacity.

                • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @09:10AM (1 child)

                  by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @09:10AM (#638748)

                  Face reality. If you send men into combat in a real war and they are captured they will end up in a POW camp. If you send women into combat in a real war and they are captured they will be raped, and then to cover up the war crime, probably shot.
                  Given the USA's current list of conflicts transgenders will be raped up the arse until they too loose to use, then summarily executed as a crime against allah.

                  • (Score: 2) by insanumingenium on Friday February 16 2018, @04:42PM

                    by insanumingenium (4824) on Friday February 16 2018, @04:42PM (#638884) Journal

                    So you are saying I shouldn't send soldiers into battle because the enemy won't be nice to them? Really? Also notice his statement was "in any capacity", in other words that includes both combat and non combat roles.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:50PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @10:50PM (#638496)

            terrific scholar and one of my biggest fans

            From the realDonald Trump?
            Not what any academic wants on their CV!

        • (Score: 2) by melikamp on Friday February 16 2018, @03:00AM (2 children)

          by melikamp (1886) on Friday February 16 2018, @03:00AM (#638615) Journal
          Noise-blasting is not speech. How can you possibly construe an action whose primare intent and result is the censorship of other's speech as speech?
          • (Score: 2) by insanumingenium on Friday February 16 2018, @04:32PM (1 child)

            by insanumingenium (4824) on Friday February 16 2018, @04:32PM (#638876) Journal

            How is noise blasting any less speech than flag burning? Speech doesn't extend solely to direct verbal or written communication. And I, by my definition of free speech, have to support all speech, whether I agree with it or not. The problem here is you don't censor somebody by shouting over them, you censor them by silencing them, usually with threat or application of force. How exactly do you remove a noise blaster that isn't also censorship? On the other hand, the noise-blasting doesn't involve force.

            • (Score: 2) by melikamp on Friday February 16 2018, @08:54PM

              by melikamp (1886) on Friday February 16 2018, @08:54PM (#639035) Journal

              How is noise blasting any less speech than flag burning?

              Flag burning is quiet, so it does not prevent anyone else from stating their point of view at the same time.

  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by meustrus on Thursday February 15 2018, @04:36PM (6 children)

    by meustrus (4961) on Thursday February 15 2018, @04:36PM (#638279)

    I'm honestly not sure if it's what you meant, but yes, Richard Spencer needs to stop acting like a special snowflake who's entitled to shit all over everyone else just because that's what he wants to do.

    --
    If there isn't at least one reference or primary source, it's not +1 Informative. Maybe the underused +1 Interesting?
    • (Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Thursday February 15 2018, @04:54PM (5 children)

      by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @04:54PM (#638290) Journal

      Well, yes - that is exactly what I meant. Spencer thinks he is special, that he has some right to spew his version of bullshit - a special little snowflake.

      Snowflakes don't just come in SJW flavor, LOL! Skinhead epitomize the whole snowflake thing. They're afraid of all the rest of us, so they need their little protective snow white communities, etc ad nauseum. And, let us all remember - most white people aren't nearly white enough to be part of Nazi reality. Polski? You're out. Ukrainian? No way. Lithuanian? You lose! Italian? Maybe - I never quite figured that out. Romans/Italians were never Aryan, but Hitler liked that Mussolini guy for some reason. Probably would have stabbed the little Dego in the back as soon as the war was over, if they had won. Italians aren't any whiter than Eastern Europeans, after all!

      • (Score: 3, Insightful) by DannyB on Thursday February 15 2018, @05:13PM (4 children)

        by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday February 15 2018, @05:13PM (#638302) Journal

        Skinhead has no recourse. Get over it, Snowflake!!

        I have to admit that I misinterpreted that in, what I now think, is the opposite of what you meant.

        --
        To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @08:48PM (3 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 15 2018, @08:48PM (#638430)

          I just love it when Runaway agrees with aristarchus! It smells, . . . like victory.

          • (Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday February 16 2018, @07:03AM (2 children)

            by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Friday February 16 2018, @07:03AM (#638719) Journal

            Even a stopped clock is right twice a day, huh?

            --
            I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @09:12AM (1 child)

              by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @09:12AM (#638750)

              Which one is stopped and which one is a clock?

              • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 17 2018, @06:11AM

                by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 17 2018, @06:11AM (#639241)

                Doesn't matter! I say we roll with it!