A speech code is any rule or regulation that limits, restricts, or bans speech beyond the strict legal limitations upon freedom of speech or press found in the legal definitions of harassment, slander, libel, and fighting words. Such codes are common in the workplace, in universities,[1] and in private organizations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_code
I believe that all persons have the right to speak within these parameters. I am aware of instances where speakers have been invited to university campuses, by on campus groups, and have been shouted down or had a campus experience violence with the intent of having the person to not be heard.
In February, when the wounds of trump's inauguration were still raw, there were violent protests at Berkeley and NYU due to speakers that were set to speak on these campuses. I saw an article from the Boston Globe about violence at Middlebury College in Vermont. Middlebury has always been a small peaceful school nestled in the mountains of Vermont. This March a social scientist, Charles Murray, who had been invited to speak to the campus by students and the President of the school ( who did not support Murray's philosophies), was physically attacked along with one of the school's professors who was with Murray. This is not ok on a lot of levels. Neither is any type of violence as a form of protest. The photo below is shows Murray speaking at Middlebury and the students turning their backs on him. To me this is a much more effective protest and at the same time does not impinge on his freedom to speak out about how he sees the world. I assume he was not attempting to incite violence, like trump did in Kentucky and other venues during his campaign prior to the election. Middle bury junior, Sabina Hague pointed out that since trump's election she sees people on campus digging in with their ideological heels.
Other notable instances of speech being curtailed were at DePaul University where two conservative speakers Milo Yiannopoulos and Ben Shapiro were banned from campus, at the Unversity of California, Irvine campus, A pro-palestinian grop used violence to attempt to stop an event sponsored by students supporting Israel. Three students were arrested at Kellogg Community College for handing out pocket Constitutions in a public space on campus.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/03/04/middlebury/hAfpA1Hquh7DIS1doiKbhJ/story.html
We are familiar with the approximately one hundred students that walked out on their commencement at Notre Dame when pence started to speak. This and the turning of backs on a speaker are legitimate forms of free speech in response to speakers that we do not agree with. It is important, though, for all people, around the world to be able to speak their minds without violent reactions. It is especially important that all voices be heard on college and university campuses where discourse and debate have always occurred and must continue to occur for human knowledge and ethics to continue to evolve. The truth, both morally and scientifically are strong enough to stand up to ideologues who are what I would label as misguided.
In our country, the kkk and the american nazi party have as much right to assemble and speak (as long as they are not inciting violence) as a Congressperson or a Senator. The ACLU has fought for the first amendment liberties that are an integral part of the fabric of our country. Extreme right wing groups are not the only ones capable of violence and attempts to shut down free speech. We are all humans and therefore all have the same emotions eating away at us, no matter what political views we hold. It is incumbent on all of us to rise above this type of behavior even though we now find our country embroiled in a decisive battle of cultures and ideologies. For those of us who are resisting trump and those that he represents, I still endorse what Michelle Obama famously said, "when they go low, we go high". We all need to remember this and we all need to stay on the high road. We are that good.
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