Unpopular opinion: I used to think heckling was just part of the deal at campus talks

Last month at a lecture in Ann Arbor, a speaker got shouted down for a full 15 minutes before security did anything, and the whole point of the event was lost. I realized that kind of disruption doesn't promote debate, it just shuts it down completely. Has anyone else seen a protest cross the line from expression into actually preventing speech?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix_lewis10d ago

Define preventing speech, because heckling is still speech too.

nancyjones10d ago

You raise a good point about heckling. It reminds me of how many public meetings go now. Someone tries to speak, and a few loud voices shout them down to stop the idea from even being heard. That tactic doesn't debate the message, it just drowns it out completely.

ross.lily10d ago

Exactly like what happened to you? @nancyjones is right about how it just drowns things out. I saw a town hall where they screamed so long the speaker just left, and nobody learned anything.