OPINION:
We keep hearing from arrested students who support Hamas that they’re entitled to free speech. The problem is, free speech is generally associated with the impact is has. For instance, shouting “Fire!” in an empty theater is free speech. In a crowded theater, it’s not free speech. And the charges against someone who shouts it in a crowded theater would be different depending on whether he caused death, injury or destruction of property.
Speech that might normally be considered fee speech is not free speech when one is antagonizing or spewing hatred at people who are already under physical attack on the streets of America and other countries. That’s when “free speech” becomes pure incitement.
The students being arrested know quite well they’re inciting violence. You have to look no farther than their fellow students who do, in fact, get violent. Students making such hate-filled speeches should be arrested and prosecuted no differently than someone who uses his “free speech” to encourage someone to commit a serious crime.
JOSH GREENBERGER
Brooklyn, New York
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