I have no problem telling anyone to pound sand, so to speak, Dan. That's my freedom of speech. Similarly, even the most vile, obnoxious sons of bitches have the right to speak. A case in point, the nazis marching through Skokie, Illinois during the late 70s. I guess it comes down to how one protests against what one feels is truly hate-filled, loathsome speech. Charles Murray, a serious academic, was invited to Middlebury College and he should have been heard. By all means, line his path with signs, chant slogans, hurl insults, and if the students choose to turn their backs on him, okay, that's their right. Hold a teach-in to air the offending views that you believe Murray's books offer up and vehemently offer a counterpoint to those areas of disagreement. Expose whatever lies you think he may spout. But I don't believe it's right to shout him, or anyone else down. And certainly there's absolutely no excuse for harassing him and getting physical. It's been said that the cure for bad speech is better speech so let those students bring on some better speech. Hell, Middlebury is renowned for its language department! There's also something to that other cliche about giving speakers enough rope so that they hang themselves. Battle lies with truths and expose slanderous comments. But take the gloves off only metaphorically!

Lastly, there's another side that isn't commonly mentioned when discussing this topic. Equally important to the airing of one's views is that others have the right, if they so choose, to hear those views. People may well desire to hear opposing views, even extreme and repellent ones. Christopher Hitchens expressed such an opinion when defending the right of holocaust-denier David Irving to be heard. Hitchens was unfairly pilloried for this, but knowing a fair amount about Hitch, he probably revelled in it.

Peter T.

And one final thing. Middlebury was one of the schools we toured when our daughter was immersed in her college search. It was a beautiful fall Saturday as our tour guided marched us by the dorms. Someone was using an amplification system on the quad and it was a bit noisy. Suddenly, a head pokes out from one of the dorm windows and a male student yells, "Shut the fuck up, I'm trying to sleep!". It was about noon and our female student/tour guide didn't know what to say to the assemblage of high schoolers and their folks. A lovely campus, great academics, but our daughter (and our money) chose to go elsewhere! Bloody long, frigid winters too up there!