It's a given that if one party to a disagreement keeps breaking the rules in order to harm opponents, the other participants will eventually sink to the challenge and adopt—or escalate—out-of-bounds tactics themselves. That's bad enough in any conflict, but it can be disastrous for a free and open society if the rules being broken by all parties are fundamental free speech norms. For years, we've seen left-leaning students and faculty on college campuses shout down and sometimes assault speakers with whom they disagree. Now right-leaning students have joined the party, embracing the heckler's veto and even the use of violence to muzzle dissent.

Shouting Down Opponents

In March, an event including former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni "descended into chaos when unruly activists broke out in antisemitic chants and hurled abuse at the politician," according to the New York Post. Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff denounced the interruption and 13 protesters were arrested for disorderly conduct with four others referred for disciplinary proceedings.