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At Rutgers University, President Obama Again Joins Chorus of ā€˜Disinvitation Seasonā€™ Critics

In a string of commencement addresses as the academic year draws to a close, President Barack Obama criticized efforts by students and faculty to shut down speech or speakers they perceive to be offensive, urging them instead to engage the substance of what they find offensive.

At Rutgers Universityā€™s commencement ceremony on Sunday, President Obama graduates to find people they disagree with and challenge their ideas, rather than prevent them from speaking. As an example, President Obama pointedly cited from speaking at its commencement two years ago. President Obamaā€™s , in pertinent part, are worth reading:

And if participation means voting, and it means compromise, and organizing and advocacy, it also means listening to those who donā€™t agree with you. I know a couple years ago, folks on this campus got upset that Condoleezza Rice was supposed to speak at a commencement. Now, I donā€™t think itā€™s a secret that I disagree with many of the foreign policies of Dr. Rice and the previous administration. But the notion that this community or the country would be better served by not hearing from a former Secretary of State, or shutting out what she had to sayā€”I believe thatā€™s misguided. I donā€™t think that's how democracy works best, when weā€™re not even willing to listen to each other. I believe thatā€™s misguided.

If you disagree with somebody, bring them in and ask them tough questions. Hold their feet to the fire. Make them defend their positions. If somebody has got a bad or offensive idea, prove it wrong. Engage it. Debate it. Stand up for what you believe in. Donā€™t be scared to take somebody on. Donā€™t feel like you got to shut your ears off because youā€™re too fragile and somebody might offend your sensibilities. Go at them if theyā€™re not making any sense. Use your logic and reason and words. And by doing so, youā€™ll strengthen your own position, and youā€™ll hone your arguments. And maybe youā€™ll learn something and realize you donā€™t know everything. And you may have a new understanding not only about what your opponents believe but maybe what you believe. Either way, you win. And more importantly, our democracy wins.

President Obamaā€™s remarks echo his commencement address at Howard University, where he told graduates that ā€œ[c]hange requires more than just speaking out. [...] [I]t requires listening to those with whom you disagree, and being prepared to compromise.ā€

The presidentā€™s remarks come at the tail end of a year filled with attempts to disinvite and disrupt speakers on campus. While itā€™s one thing to criticize a speakerā€™s acts or remarks, itā€™s another to attempt to prevent that person from speaking so that others canā€™t hear and engage with the message. ¹ū¶³“«Ć½app¹Ł·½ā€™s disinvitation database tracks myriad attempts to disrupt or disinvite on-campus speakers by protesters from across the political spectrum.

On May 9, 2016, for example, students at Georgetown University administrators to disinvite Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson from graduation ceremonies, citing Johnsonā€™s enforcement of immigration policies and their desire to create ā€œan inclusive and safeā€ graduation ceremony. Criticism of Johnsonā€™s invitation follows upon Georgetown administrators to prevent students from inviting Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, to speak in .

Obama made student freedom of speech a theme in recent remarks addressing the need for divergent viewpoints on college campuses. When nominating Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, President Obama highlighted Garlandā€™s defense of a student speaker who was censored during a commencement address. And last fall, Obama called upon students, and the universities they attend, to protect avenues of vigorous debate, arguing ā€œI donā€™t agree that you, when you become students at colleges, have to be coddled and protected from different points of view.ā€

As , suppressing free speech is a ā€œdouble wrongā€ as it ā€œviolates the rights of the hearer as well as the speaker.ā€ President Obamaā€™s repeated calls to engage with, rather than silence, speech and speakers underscore that message. FIREhopes that students who care deeply about individual rights will consider this point when the next call for a disinvitation is made.

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