THE "UNHINGED" EFFECT
By Michelle Malkin
February 16, 2006
I'm heading home in a bit after an enjoyable event at Oberlin College kicking off the Ronald Reagan Lecture Series. It was refreshing to see a healthy, engaged group of College Republicans on campus, and some wonderful professors on their side grounded in reality. C-SPAN covered the speech, which will probably air in the next week or so. I think "Unhinged" is having the salutary effect of making liberal students very self-conscious about their behavior at conservative speakers' events. Before I spoke, students passed around anonymous flyers, which read in part:
<<< This flyer is written to inform you that the content of tonight's lecture conducted by Michelle Malkin may be highly, personally offensive to some...we would like to warn against possible insensible and politically negative behavior on the part of those responding to Malkin's presence. We do not believe that having her speak here is in any way a means to promote intelligent, or meaningful political discourse. Rather, we are worried that it may have the exact opposite effect...Negative reactions to Malkin could lead to highly negative statements about Oberlin on a national stage. While it is your right to respond in the manner you see fit, we encourage you to take into consideration the possible consequences of such responses, and to attempt to engage the speaker in a civilized, rational, and intelligent manner that we are all capable of. Remember that you can always leave the lecture should you feel uncomfortable or offended. >>>
In other words: Try very hard to behave, or you'll prove her point.
The best moment of the event came during Q&A, when an Asian-American student stood up and said she was afraid to join the College Republicans because of peer pressure. She confirmed that groupthink on campus was strong, among both students and professors. After the lecture, she took the plunge and signed up with the CRs. Made the whole trip worth it!
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