There’s been a lot of discussion of late about whether a certain President of a certain nation should be welcomed to speak at Columbia University, in New York City. Many people seemed to think that giving a platform to voices like his is dangerous, even in an academic setting. Many have argued that freedom of speech is a right given to all, not just those who flow with the mainstream.
I’ll weigh in on this issue as follows. Freedom of speech should be protected for all people, regardless of who they are or what they have to say. But free speech can be a self-correcting mechanism. When a loud fool opens his mouth and speaks on the world stage, it’s his right to think he gave a great performance, but it’s the duty of the audience to boo his ass down. Free speech goes both ways. Let’s not forget that.
