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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

ONLINE ONLY: Shut up and learn

Since a few columns appeared in this paper that opposed the upcoming visit of Ann Coulter, I figured she at least merits one in her favor.\nAccording to the IDS article announcing her speech, "protesters" at Coulter's speeches have thrown pies at her and shouted her down with "you suck."\nFreshman Danielle Weissberg was quoted in the same article as planning her own protest here.\n"I hope that other students will join me in sending a message that speakers who preach such morally reprehensible things should not be invited to speak to students," she said.\nWeissberg has transmitted the usual liberal line: if someone disagrees with you, just stifle their voice rather than actually arguing reasonably. What Weissberg regards as "morally reprehensible" may not hold true for others -- and I'll wager it doesn't for the majority.\nLiberals don't consider difference of opinion when spewing off such statements because their reason is clouded by self-righteousness. For them, a woman's "right" to terminate a pregnancy, income redistribution and affirmative action are not debatable topics but moral imperatives that are unquestionable -- and unquestionably right because they themselves are in favor of them.\nFrom this view stems the other half of Weissberg's statement: that speakers like Coulter should not be invited to campus. Rather than allowing listeners to decide for themselves, liberals must silence the opposition with totalitarian policies. The pies and heckling are just childish and petty examples of this epidemic on the left.\nNeedless to say, such a mindset does not give the left very much credibility, but more importantly it stifles the atmosphere of free and intelligent debate that has always been a proud tradition in this country.\nRather than politely standing up during the Q&A session and asking a clever questioned designed to put the opposing view on the defensive, liberal students instead deal with Coulter by heckling, shouting and throwing pies (a technique appropriate for such clowns).\nThese are not protesters -- to protest a view is to disagree; they are not demonstrators -- to demonstrate is to display one's disagreement. They are attempting (and rather comically, I might add) to silence altogether the opposition's views, and that makes them nothing other than fascists. The left throws around "fascism" and "McCarthyism" as its favorite insults to the right, when in reality it is they who actually practice the tactics.\nAnn Coulter has a law degree, has written four "New York Times" bestsellers and writes columns that are nationally syndicated. Not only is she intelligent and well-educated, but has a message that resonates with a broad segment of the public. Isn't anyone curious why that is?\nHere's my advice to any potential hecklers: check out her books, read her columns. If they change your views, great! If not, then you now actually have experience to form the basis of your opinion and a formidable weapon in debate.\nInstead of creating a scene and looking stupid in a futile attempt to silence an eminent speaker, just shut up and listen -- you might actually learn something.

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