Last night as I watched the events unfold in Chicago at the location where Donald Trump was supposed to hold a rally, I was deeply discouraged, saddened, and ashamed. When did we become a society that refuses others the right to hear speech that we may not agree with?
Now hear me out. I realize that Trump canceled the event, so technically his First Amendment rights weren’t violated. But he did so because of the threat of violence in and around the rally location. Why do we see this becoming more and more prevalent?
Up until now, we’ve mostly seen this on college campuses especially when a conservative guest is scheduled to speak. Why have the “adults” caved and cancelled events rather than used these events as teaching tools for their students?
This caving to the extremists has taught them that they can shut anyone up and prevent opinions they disagree with from being heard by threatening violence. And it has now spread into our political events which are arguably the place where differing ideas and opinions are the most important.
Trump is not innocent in this. His rhetoric at past rallies has encouraged violence going so far as to offer to pay the legal bills if someone is arrested for punching a protester. Violence begets violence. Violence is the chosen language of the extremists who have been emboldened to “shut down” differing opinions.
We need real leaders in our schools and in our government who are willing to tell people “NO.” We need leaders who don’t speak the same violent rhetoric as those who would deny us our rights.
You have the right to disagree with people. You have the right not to attend an event. You have the right to protest. You do not, however, have the right to prevent others who choose to listen, from listening to the words and opinions that you don’t want to hear.
People who were at the Trump rally to listen to him and possibly decide if they agreed with him have been denied. Had the rally taken place, how many undecided voters would have walked out deciding not to vote for Trump? Shutting down the rally may have actually encouraged undecided voters to vote for Trump.
