Just realized everyone keeps calling the Yale protest a 'free speech' issue when it's really about disruption

I mean, I was following the whole thing last semester. The protestors blocked the main library entrance for like 12 hours straight. That's not speech, that's stopping other students from getting to class. I saw the videos. The school said they asked them to move three times before anyone got in trouble. Free speech means you can say the thing, it doesn't mean you can shut down a building. How is blocking a door a form of debate? Has anyone else seen a protest cross that line from speaking to just stopping normal campus stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

reese_lee91mo ago

But where do you even draw that line? I saw people saying blocking the door was their speech... but at some point it just becomes holding the place hostage. It's like if I stood in your driveway to tell you my opinion, you can't really live your life.

hollywhite1mo ago

Ugh exactly! You nailed it with that driveway example @reese_lee9. The line gets crossed when your speech stops someone else from doing their normal stuff. Blocking a door isn't just talking, it's stopping people from getting to work or class. Free speech doesn't mean you get to trap people until they listen to you. Where would you say the line actually is?

anna4911mo ago

What if the line is when you stop letting people choose to listen?