Berkeley event not really about free speech
I know hate speech is protected by the First Amendment. But there are exceptions to protected speech — such as speech that is “inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action,” as the Court ruled in 1969 in the landmark free speech case Brandenburg vs. Ohio. The question is: Does speech delivered by the likes of Milo Yiannopoulos and other provocateurs incite violence? Yes, it does. Is that speech likely to produce lawless action? Yes, it is. In fact, Yiannopoulos thrives on delivering hateful and spiteful commentary designed to provoke and anger the masses on both sides — whether he bashes on immigrants, gays or other historically oppressed groups in society.
So, why does the student group calling itself the Berkeley Patriot insist on inviting Yiannopoulos to UC Berkeley for their so-called Free Speech Week events?
Bryce Kasamoto, a spokesman for the Berkeley Patriot, said the group believes it can “host an event that’s going to be healthy, productive, but most importantly safe for everybody to engage in political communications.”
“Not all of us do agree with the points that Milo speaks, and a lot of us don’t call ourselves supporters of Milo, because we do understand a lot of his language can be interpreted
as hate speech,” Kasamoto said. “With that in mind, however, all of us do firmly believe in our First Amendment right.”
Clearly, with Yiannopoulos headlining, their event isn’t really about the free expression of ideas and alternative viewpoints.
No, “Free Speech Week” is a publicity stunt for Yiannopolous, a marketing tactic so he can add wattage to his dimming star. Without confrontation and provocation, what does he have?
So let’s stop the pretending that this is about free speech.
Because what we’re looking at is an invitation to violence. People get injured, and I’ve often said it was just a matter of time before someone dies. It happened in Charlottesville.
Because today — thanks to our president — people are afraid. Afraid they’re going to be deported. Afraid they’re going to be beaten for wearing a headscarf. Afraid they’re going to be shot because someone, someone like, say, Dylann Roof, read hate-filled words that incited him to kill.
So when someone like Yiannopoulos steps into Berkeley to test the freespeech waters, people see him as a symbol of everything that’s wrong with the White House, white supremacy, white nationalism, hate groups and the so-called alt-right. And they’re ready — as we’ve seen — to fight against this toxicity.
They’re fighting for what the U.S. stands for. They’re fighting against hate and oppression.
So I agree with Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin: UC Berkeley should put a muzzle on this month’s events.
“It’s incredibly important for conservative speakers and conservative voices to have a platform at UC Berkeley, so you can hear diversity of opinion,” Arreguin told me. “But what we should be doing is bringing in conservative thought leaders, not conservative provocateurs.
“We know that his presence is going to likely create a confrontation.”
Inviting speakers known for xenophobic, Islamophobic and racist rhetoric could put UC Berkeley under a multiday siege with white supremacists and black-clad anarchists brawling in the streets.
In an Aug. 23 letter to students, faculty and staff, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ wrote: “Call toxic speech out for what it is, don’t shout it down, for in shouting it down, you collude in the narrative that universities are not open to all speech. Respond to hate speech with more speech.”
It sounds passionate and optimistic on paper, but the brutal reality on the streets is that in these tense times in America, political rallies are a reason for people to suit up for battle.
The only truth that matters is who wins, and that’s determined by how many bloodied faces each side has.
Arreguin said Yiannopolous and others who have sparked unrest in Berkeley “bear responsibility for inciting a violent environment.”
I agree. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Email: otaylor@ sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr