Heavyarms Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 First, let me say that this is not about whether you CAN. I know you can protest, and I am all for the right to protest outside of something you don't like, or before or after it. But as you will see, what I am about to talk about is not that. Yesterday, Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales spoke at my school. In the audience was about 100 people. About 20 were people who did not like him. He walked out to a mix of cheers and boos, and started speaking. He was frequently interrupted by protesters shouting at him (things like the word torture, stuff about civil liberties, Iraq, Abu Ghraib, etc). During the speech, there were at least three stoppages when it got out of control. A group of aboutten decided to leave, shouting random crap at him, stopping him for about 45 seconds while he was talking about how 9/11 changed everything. As a result, I never got to hear all he said, and I was interested somewhat in it. He was also disrupted when someone shouted about "100,000 dead in Iraq" and then 2 police officers decided to remove him after he had been making calls and stuff the entire event. He refused to exit, and the police officers had to physically drag him out. He let his arms and legs go limp, and made them pull his entire weight to leave. There were also 2 suflur capsules opened, releasing a nasty smell inside of the entire auditorium. In all, there were easily 50+ side comments made during the approximately 40 minute event. Since I am an official in my student government, I feel ashamed by this deplorable behavior. It makes us students look like we cannot be civil and sit through a man's speech, no matter how controversial he is. I am fully for a person's right to protest, but do it before, after, or outside. Do not disrespect him or disrupt those that actually want to listen. Do you agree with this statement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achilles Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Yep. If nothing else, that behavior is rude. And I don't think you draw people to your cause by behaving in a deplorable manner. There are lots of ways to practice civil disobedience without making an ass of one's self. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totenkopf Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 I concur, but where hypocritical extremists are involved, I wouldn't hold my breath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagobahn Eagle Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 If you don't like a speech, walk out on the guy. Plain and simple. If you're not allowed to, campaign for the school to let you. No one should be forced to listen to another person' opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heavyarms Posted March 8, 2008 Author Share Posted March 8, 2008 If you don't like a speech, walk out on the guy. Plain and simple. If you're not allowed to, campaign for the school to let you. No one should be forced to listen to another person' opinion. Couple of things: 1. Attending the event was voluntary. It required a ticket to attend. One which was free, but you still needed one. 2. People could walk out. A lot of them did and decided to yell a bunch of stuff. But yes, I agree with what you say, Eagle. Not very fun. By the way, how you been? Been a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylilin Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Classless? Yes. Disrespectful? Yes. Stink bombs?! Your fellow classmates couldn't think of anything more creative that stinkbombs? That is what you should be truly ashamed of. Was there any sort of Q&A session? I would have at least let the man speak his piece, then blast him in the Q&A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totenkopf Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 That would require a degree of mature foresight. These agitprop amateurs obviously have none. It's really about trying to muzzle speech they don't approve of, a tactic rarely (if ever) used by the other side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heavyarms Posted March 9, 2008 Author Share Posted March 9, 2008 Classless? Yes. Disrespectful? Yes. Stink bombs?! Your fellow classmates couldn't think of anything more creative that stinkbombs? That is what you should be truly ashamed of. Was there any sort of Q&A session? I would have at least let the man speak his piece, then blast him in the Q&A. There was a Q&A session, but the questions were written before the event, and then screened out by someone before he got on stage. The questions were asked by someone on stage. Because of the room, the Q&A would have compromised his safety. A microphone placed close to the front would have made it possible for someone to hit him with a thrown object and no one could stop him. I don't think they really wanted to let just anyone get up there and shout at him, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxstate Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 The socialist in me disagrees, but sometimes I think rights should only count for people mature enough to understand and respect them properly. Rights are underrated, and the genepool overpopulated with idiots. Edit: Your schoolmates' right to protest should be overshadowed by their right to shut the **** up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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