Let's agree to disagree, protect free speech

Protesters once again gave MSU Young Americans for Freedom, or YAF, exactly what they wanted Friday when they showed up and angrily tried to drown out the message of the student organization’s speaker — British National Party chairman Nick Griffin.

Protesters have the right to be livid with these repeated events that are merely put on to make people angry. But it’s time to put a stop to the way people have been handling the situation. Trying to silence shouting with more shouting isn’t realistic, and when roughly 50 protesters show up screaming at a speaker who is trying to give his opinions — which he has the right to do — it will only make everything worse.

Some students raised their hands and asked legitimate questions, while others chose to shout obscenities. While it’s wonderful that some individuals chose to react in a civil manner, those that decided to react immaturely need to rethink their strategies. It’s not worth it.

It’s time to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, not just the individual events, but the speakers and the issues. It’s time to take your hurt feelings and heated emotions and use them in a productive way — a way that will actually make a difference. Succumbing to someone’s antagonistic ways only furthers frustration and anger; however, using a proactive approach is an intelligent and beneficial way to move past differences.

No one should ever be censored, regardless of how offensive his or her message might be. And although that message might be based on lies, misinformation and pure ignorance, people should be fighting for those individuals’ rights to spout such nonsense. If people are silenced, if we trample on democracy, then what are we left with as a nation? A public university is a prime example of where this discussion should be taking place because it’s a public-forum setting.

Next time these people try to slam a minority or religion, instead of letting them push your buttons in a way that will cause you to give the exact reaction they are hoping for, let’s change the pace. How about scheduling a different speaker for the same time the other event will be held, and beating them by not giving them the anger-driven attention that they thrive on? If people stop showing up to their events, it will be difficult to spread a message of hate.

When the National Socialist Movement, a Minneapolis-based neo-Nazi group, came to Lansing last year, the city held a counter event that offset the negativity the Nazis had hoped for. Instead of letting them get the best of the community, Lansing hosted a diversity celebration and encouraged families of all different races and religions to come out and celebrate diversity. These are the types of reactions that can make a change.

Let’s try to disagree respectfully. Let them talk and express their points and instead of fighting them with anger, fight them with knowledge.

Ask critical questions that will prove your side of the issue and challenge theirs. If they still aren’t listening, and it feels as if you are getting nowhere, then get your group together and silently walk out. This will leave the speakers sitting in a room by themselves with their tiny handful of followers wondering what they are going to do if their event doesn’t go exactly as planned.

And thank you for reading the “Dummies’ Guide to Protesting.”

Published on Sunday, October 28, 2007