EDITORIAL: Activism ruined by denial of free speech

It’s nothing more than hypocrisy when a group of student
activists tries to prove how open-minded they are by shutting down
a viewpoint that opposes their own.

The Columbia University College Republicans hosted a
presentation on immigration policy Wednesday. They invited three
speakers from the Minuteman Project to explain why they believe
it’s imperative to protect the U.S. border with citizen
enforcement.

But minutes after Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman
Project, came to the microphone, protestors stormed the stage,
creating a brawl that involved both students and other
attendees.

This riot is an example of how “liberals,” who often
proclaim the virtues of uninhibited speech and open-mindedness,
sometimes go too far in their activism.

Activism on a college campus is often a noble thing, but to
violently shout down another’s ideology is hypocrisy for
anyone who values free speech.

From a practical standpoint, all it does is ruin
activists’ credibility, no matter the cause. We recommend
some constructive dialogue instead.