http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/grade...charlottesville-events-may-come-to-uf/2333554
Spencer's group has reserved space at UF's campus in Gainesville for September 12th, and the university's president sent a letter to the community last night (see link above).
Toward the end, UF's president wrote the following:
Instead of allowing hateful speech to tear us down, I urge our campus community to join together, respect one another and promote positive speech, while allowing for differing opinions. These types of groups want media attention. I encourage our campus community to send a message of unity by not engaging with this group and giving them more media attention for their message of intolerance and hate.
This got me to thinking that there are always going to people who hold these repulsive, backward views, but as a society we've got to find a way to make them once again feel shame and embarrassment for doing so, and get them out of the public square. Is there a way forward to accomplish this?
Should counter protests be staged elsewhere so as to avoid face-to-face confrontation? Should civic groups appeal to the national media to discontinue coverage of these events and get out of the business of "both sides" nonsense? These vile 'white power' groups are getting so much oxygen that something needs to be done.
EDIT: Several suggested not allowing them on campus in the first place. The problem is that his group apparently went through all of the proper channels to reserve the space, account for security costs, etc., and that under the law, the university cannot simply refuse them the space (it's all addressed in the link I provided)
Spencer's group has reserved space at UF's campus in Gainesville for September 12th, and the university's president sent a letter to the community last night (see link above).
Toward the end, UF's president wrote the following:
Instead of allowing hateful speech to tear us down, I urge our campus community to join together, respect one another and promote positive speech, while allowing for differing opinions. These types of groups want media attention. I encourage our campus community to send a message of unity by not engaging with this group and giving them more media attention for their message of intolerance and hate.
This got me to thinking that there are always going to people who hold these repulsive, backward views, but as a society we've got to find a way to make them once again feel shame and embarrassment for doing so, and get them out of the public square. Is there a way forward to accomplish this?
Should counter protests be staged elsewhere so as to avoid face-to-face confrontation? Should civic groups appeal to the national media to discontinue coverage of these events and get out of the business of "both sides" nonsense? These vile 'white power' groups are getting so much oxygen that something needs to be done.
EDIT: Several suggested not allowing them on campus in the first place. The problem is that his group apparently went through all of the proper channels to reserve the space, account for security costs, etc., and that under the law, the university cannot simply refuse them the space (it's all addressed in the link I provided)
