For anyone familiar with Ben Shapiro’s style and perspectives, the lecture he gave at the University of Utah was nothing unexpected. Shapiro addressed a variety of heated topics in today’s political climate. He mainly used statistics to promote his ideas, and emphasized that he tries to cite liberal-leaning sources for his statistics in order to avoid any criticisms of “cherry picking.”
However, the attention given to Shapiro’s lecture was intensified by Ian Decker’s open letter, which Shapiro read in its entirety on stage. Decker’s letter clearly identifies the intent of three groups to “shut down” Shapiro’s event, pointing to the possible consequences of his “hate speech” for vulnerable minorities in Utah.
Fortunately, the university and the overwhelming majority of the participants in this event, whether they were ticket holders who were able to attend the lecture in person or the protesters for both sides who clashed outside the lecture hall, represented themselves admirably. There was no disturbance of Shapiro’s speech inside the hall. The chief of police at the U., Dale Brophy, cited only a handful of skirmishes that required police intervention.
Both sides were allowed to exercise their freedom of speech and right of peaceful protest. Shapiro’s Q&A conducted after his speech saw some opposing viewpoints presented by the audience. Shapiro and the questioners conducted their conversations with respect and dignity. The protesters let their voices be heard.
The event was a victory for free speech on college campuses in America. The people of our state and nation should be proud of our university for the way that it handled an emotionally charged and controversial event. We can hope that in the future, campuses across America will be able to emulate our success, for the benefit of free thought and the intellectual development of us all.
Kyle Anderson
Orem