Freedom of speech extends to all of us – Batesville Herald Tribune

Ann Coulter and I don't agree on much, but we agree on this.

It's a sad day when threats of violence lead to the cancellation of a speech at a place known as a haven for free expression.

Coulter says she was forced to cancel an event at the University of California, Berkeley, after organizations sponsoring her appearance bailed out. She expressed disappointment that First Amendment advocates had not rallied to her defense.

"Everyone who should believe in free speech fought against it or ran away," she said.

Well, not everyone. Coulter found unlikely defenders among people like Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

"What are you afraid of her ideas?" Sanders said in an interview with The Huffington Post.

Sanders is exactly right. When you hear an idea you find repugnant, the solution is not to silence that viewpoint with threats. The solution is to exercise your own freedom of speech.

Holding up signs and shouting slogans is fine. Shedding the blood of your political adversaries is not.

Coulter insisted she had the constitutional right to deliver her address.

"Even the most lefty, Coulter-hating judge would probably have had to order Berkeley to let me speak," she said.

I wouldn't have used quite those words, but I agree with the sentiment.

The recent event had been organized by the Berkeley College Republicans and a group called Young America's Foundation, but both pulled their support, citing fears of violence. They accused the university of trying to silence the views of conservative speakers.

University officials denied that. Chancellor Nicholas B. Dirks sent a letter to the campus insisting the university was committed to defending free speech while protecting its students.

"This is a university, not a battlefield," he said in the letter. "The university has two non-negotiable commitments, one to free speech, the other to the safety of our campus community."

Keeping those commitments hasn't been easy of late.

A bloody brawl broke out in downtown Berkeley last month when white nationalists at a pro-Trump event clashed with counter-demonstrators calling themselves anti-fascists. In February, violent protesters forced the cancellation of a speech by right-wing writer Milo Yiannopoulos, who like Coulter had been invited by campus Republicans.

In its defense, the university did offer Coulter an alternative date. Of course, that date fell at a time when classes would no longer have been in session.

Still, the university is not the villain here. The villains are those threatening violence to silence voices they don't want to hear.

On the day of the planned speech, police erected barricades and refused to let demonstrators enter the campus. Police officers wearing flak jackets took selfies with students in an attempt to lighten the mood.

At least one of the demonstrators agreed with Coulter.

"I don't like Ann Coulter's views, but I don't think in this case the right move was to shut her down," 24-year-old graduate student Yevgeniy Melguy told The Associated Press.

Coulter had planned to speak on the topic of illegal immigration. Melguy held a sign that read "Immigrants Are Welcome Here."

Another student, 19-year-old Joseph Pagadara, told an AP reporter the university should have allowed Coulter to speak.

"Now she's making herself look like the victim and Berkeley like the bad guys," he said.

The problem, he said, is a failure to communicate.

"Both sides are so intolerant of each other," he said. "We are a divided country. We need to listen to each other, but we're each caught in our own bubbles."

We need more voices like that.

Kelly Hawes is a columnist for CNHI's Indiana news service. He can be reached at kelly.hawes@indianamediagroup.com.

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Freedom of speech extends to all of us - Batesville Herald Tribune