If you’re afraid to let your opponent talk, you probably aren’t winning the debate. But it’s also hard to win the war of ideas when your audience can’t hear you.
Last month, UCLA’s Federalist Society hosted James Percival, general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security. That seems a natural fit. Law students could learn a lot from the top lawyer of a major government agency.
But campus leftists weren’t interested in a discussion. Many of the attendees disrupted Mr. Percival’s speech, heckling him with jeers and boos. They also used sound effects, presumably from their phones, to disrupt him, according to news reports. After being asked to silence their phones, “attendees then clicked pens and tapped on desks,” the Daily Bruin reported.
“By giving Mr. Percival a platform, The Federalist Society and UCLA Law are legitimizing and normalizing racially discriminatory policies that are actively harming both UCLA students and our broader community,” read a letter signed by 18 UCLA law student organizations.
UCLA’s law school is supposedly a prestigious institution. U.S. News & World Report ranked it 13th best in the nation. Yet many of its students aren’t demonstrating even an elementary grasp of free speech.
That statement shows the mental gymnastics that some leftists use to equate speech with violence. They argue that a certain policy is detrimental. Allowing that policy to be discussed, therefore, does “violence” to the alleged victim group. To prevent this supposed violence, leftists must shut down conversations they don’t approve of. That UCLA and other law schools are churning out future judges is deeply concerning.
So was the reaction of UCLA’s administration. Instead of punishing students who don’t respect the right to express diverse viewpoints, Bayrex Martí, a UCLA dean, warned the Federalist Society not to identify the disruptive students. After being publicly exposed, UCLA reversed itself.
This isn’t just a California problem. In February 2024, professor Asaf Peer, an Israeli from Bar Ilan University, attempted to give a physics lecture at UNLV. His talk was interrupted by people screaming at him about Israel. Instead of removing the anti-free speech agitators, UNLV police escorted Mr. Peer off campus.
What makes this even more outrageous is that both UCLA and UNLV are public universities. Free speech should be foundational. Yes, freedom of expression applies to hecklers, too. But caving to the heckler’s veto teaches many students that, rather than learn reasoned and respectful debate, it’s easier to shout down and intimidate the opposition.
A handful of colleges have made strides attempting to welcome more diverse ideas beyond progressive orthodoxy. But on many campuses, much work remains.
