This article is 7 years old

Opinion

Free Speech Deserves Renewed Respect

Berkeley cannot identify as the epicenter of political action and claim to be the champions of free speech if we are not willing to hear the voice of the right.

Berkeley cannot identify as the epicenter of political action and claim to be the champions of free speech if we are not willing to hear the voice of the right. The UC Berkeley student-run publication, Berkeley Patriot, is hosting notorious conservative speakers as a part of its “Free Speech Week.” This is an opportunity for the Berkeley community to shed our image of “rash” liberals, and begin to foster a culture that welcomes an open mindedness that encompasses the entire political spectrum.

Berkeley’s hyper-liberal culture has blinded us from the fact that much of our country’s political views do not echo the Berkeley dialogue. It is hypocritical that Berkeley is the proud mother of the Free Speech Movement, yet cannot entertain different political views. The call to cancel Free Speech Week is a reflection of that.

Maintaining that open mindedness is easy when surrounded with people who agree with them, but the issue arises when one is pushed to listen to opposing viewpoints. However, the greatest learning can often come from those difficult conversations. Berkeley, as a city, as a university, and as a community, is being presented with this very challenge: will we listen to, or at least respect, the Free Speech Week, or will we cover our ears and shout to drown out Yiannopoulos’ voice?

Last February, when Yiannopoulos came to Berkeley, violent left wing extremists counter protested, causing approximately one hundred thousand dollars in damage. The self proclaimed activist group Antifa (“Anti-Fascists”) set fires, broke windows and threw firecrackers in an aim to prevent Yiannopoulos from delivering his speech at UC Berkeley. While they successfully cancelled the speech, their actions should not be applauded. These violent extremists do not reflect liberalism, or even Berkeley, for that matter. The vast majority of liberals, if not all people, are against fascism. But most liberals are not violent. They don’t vandalize property or throw bricks or pepper spray people in order to defend their ideas. And so, when groups like Antifa come into Berkeley, defending “liberalism,” we must condemn not only these acts of violence, but the idea that these extremist groups have the right to act out in violence on behalf of all liberals everywhere.

While we condemn Antifa’s violent acts, we can also refute the hateful rhetoric of the alt-right personalities who will come to UC Berkeley. While what Yiannopoulos says is often hateful, he, albeit frustratingly, has the right to his opinion. I find myself supporting the First Amendment when it is proposed to cancel Free Speech Week. However, as a community, we should be questioning the ignorant rhetoric of Free Speech Week, starting with conversations and education.

Showing that the Berkeley community will respect his constitutional right, but that we will stand up for for our beliefs, is more powerful than cancelling Free Speech Week or resorting to violence. We must respect other’s rights to hold their own opinions, even if we do not respect the opinions they hold.