Tuesday night, I attended former Rep. Tom Tancredo's, R-Colo., speech on multiculturalism. Like many attendees, I strongly opposed his viewpoints and voiced my dissent, but I was willing to learn where he was coming from. Though I went as a protester, my goal was to listen respectfully, then challenge him on various points of his speech.
I ended up horribly disappointed, not with the viewpoints expressed - though they were at best insensitive, and at worst, outright bigoted - but with my fellow students. While Tancredo voiced his willingness to speak to us all, regardless of our viewpoints, I witnessed many disgusting behaviors. Students were smirking, whispering, texting, yelling, speaking out of turn, until people were outright ganging up on the congressman. It seemed passion and fervor superseded all sense of reason and mob mentality took the place of respectful dissent.
Not only did I find the behaviors of my fellow students immature, I found it highly hypocritical. At AU, we stand for the right to free speech, the right to formulate our own opinions and the right to disagree with others. That is laudable, commendable and should be expected on a college campus. However, when actually faced by someone expressing a dissenting opinion, most people chose to attack rather than challenge in a polite manner. It seemed most people went to pick a fight and act like a two-year-old rather than listen to the other side and politely voice their opinions.
I do not agree with Congressman Tancredo. I am not writing this letter to endorse his opinions. However, I find it appalling that my fellow students, mostly over the age of legal adulthood, would choose to act in a manner unbecoming of adults. I find it sad that while these same students claim a right to their own opinions, they do not allow someone else the right to form theirs. I find it surprising that many who consider themselves well-educated and tolerant would choose to act so intolerantly. Mainly, I find it ironic that the mentality of a crowd that said they loved freedom would actually try to suppress it.
Katie Gerry Sophomore, School of International Service
