Republican Congressman Ready to Bring the Hammer Down on Colleges Restricting Free Speech

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is not one to sit back and allow ideological silencing to happen, especially if that silencing is being done through the violent means often exhibited at campuses like the University of California, Berkeley.

According to the DailyWire, Jordan issued a very clear warning to colleges who wish to prevent people like conservative commentator Ben Shapiro from speaking on campus.

Colleges have historically been that place where you make your best argument, have a full and robust debate, and let ideas flow. But now we often find that if you’re libertarian or conservative and are invited to speak on campus, you later get disinvited. If they’re allowed to speak at all, conservatives and libertarians get shouted down or in some cases actual riots break out. If public colleges and universities continue to allow this to occur, Congress may have to get involved.

To what extent congress would get involved isn’t clear, but what we do know is that many of these colleges get federal funding. Calls for defunding colleges that silence others through both violent and non-violent means have been made in the past. Politicians have even moved to defund colleges like Evergreen State College in Washington, who kidnapped the colleges President, and threatened other students with violence.

Shapiro is set to speak at Berkeley’s campus Thursday. To “brace” — the LA Times words, not mine — for his expression of wrong-think, the university is providing free counseling, and considerably upping its police presence.

It’s a dude coming to talk. Not a hurricane. No one needs to brace for anything. https://t.co/Jj710er2IQ

— Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) September 10, 2017

The last time someone was to speak at Berkeley that the campus leftists didn’t like, a riot was started that ended with destruction of property, violent attacks, and hospitalizations. Milo Yiannopolous, the intended speaker, was forced to withdraw for his own safety, as innocent bystanders were being attacked by the worked up mob.

Fast forward to April, and another battle occurred in Berkeley that involved Antifa groups facing Trump supporters. Physical violence erupted in the street, with Antifa eventually losing to the Trump supporters and forced to retreat.

In both situations, police stood down and allowed the violence to happen. For Shapiro’s sake, and the safety of those around him, pray security remains tight, and holds fast should the violent mob rear its ugly head again.

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