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Changed my view on heckling after a protest at my old school
I was at a talk about campus funding at UC Berkeley about six months ago. The speaker was from a group I really disagree with, and I went ready to shout them down. But then a student in front of me just stood up and asked a super pointed question, quoting a line from the speaker's own book. The speaker got totally flustered and couldn't answer well. It was way more effective than any chant. I realized shutting people up just makes them a victim, but using their own words against them actually wins the argument. That moment flipped my whole thinking on protests. Has anyone else seen a question stop a speaker dead like that?
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the_anthony4d ago
Okay but that whole "using their own words" thing is a trap. You got lucky with one speaker who choked. Most of the time, these people are paid professionals who have an answer for everything. Your pointed question just gives them a platform to give their polished answer to a room full of people. Shouting them down actually stops their ideas from spreading on campus. It's not about making them a victim, it's about protecting students from harmful rhetoric. Letting them speak at all is how they win.
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morgan_king364d ago
lol true, my one good moment was probably a fluke. you're right the_anthony, most of these guys are way too slick to get tripped up. i'd probably just give them a free setup for their rehearsed rant.
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