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Never have I heard the issue of free speech discussed so much than in the last few days. Of course I am talking about the recent visit of Iran’s President Ahmadinejad to the UN and Columbia University. Tens of thousands of people from all over the country came to protest at the UN and Columbia.
As someone who works for StandWithUs, an Israel advocacy organization that helped organize the rally at the UN and who was at both rallies, the question that was asked of us more than any other was doesn’t he have the right to say what he wants under the protection of free speech? The short answer is, yes, he has every right to say what he wants. Freedom of speech allows him to say what he wants without fear of being persecuted or arrested.
However, as well all know, there are limits. You cant yell fire in a crowded movie theater. You can’t say what you want if it will incite people to violence.
Furthermore, the fact that Freedom of Speech allows you to say what you want, it does not mean we have to provide a platform for it. He did not have to be invited to Columbia. If Columbia did not let him come to campus to speak as they did last year, in no way shape or form would they have violated his freedom of speech.
