Hecklers Cause Coulter to Cut UConn Speech
I love to engage in repartee with people who are stupider than I am.
- Ann Coulter
You know, I’ve always thought that a little bit of good-natured heckling goes a long way. There’s nothing quite like being able to let a peddler of hate speech know what you think of her. Of course, this really only works if the troll in question actually cares what others think of her and/or her opinions. I think UConn students may have done an exceedinly poor job of picking their target last night.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for just about anything that will keep Ann Coulter from spreading her arrogant brand of aggressive ignorance and hate. Having said that, though, this is still a free country, and I recognize that free speech can be offensive speech. Though the ardor of the UConn students who shouted Coulter down should be applauded, their methods leave something to be desired. There can be little doubt that Coulter is an ignorant, hateful Right-wing troll, but she deserves to be allowed to speak- while certainly being aggressively and forcefully questioned.
All that was accomplished by those who shouted Coulter down was that they succeeded in painting themselves as every bit as intolerant and ignorant as Coulter. Ignorance and intolerance are not effective weapons against ignorance and intolerance. As much as it would pain me to have to sit and listen to Coulter, shouting her down only paints her as a sympathetic character.
Those who attended Coulter’s speech with the intention of shutting her down might have been better served by simply staying home. Coulter’s speech would then have been a matter of local interest only. Coulter would have taken her honorarium and gone home to her cave beneath whatever bridge she happens to live under. Now last night’s speech has been turned into a cause celebre by those who thought that were doing a good thing.
It can be an exceedingly difficult thing to let ignorance and hatred pass without a response. In this case, it would have been the most effective option. Now, the UConn students involved look like the intolerant trolls. Nice going, eh??
BTW, y’all…STILL no naked pictures of Ann Coulter. So sorry to disappoint…. ;o)
