Obama to college students: ‘Stop shutting down the speech of people you disagree with’

During a commencement speech at Howard University this Saturday, President Barack Obama took aim at a specific form of protest that’s been sweeping across U.S. college campuses, namely students disrupting events and speeches given by their ideological opponents.

Obama lamented the “trend around the country of trying to get college to disinvite speakers with a different point of view or disrupt a politician’s rally.”

“Don’t do that,” he said, “no matter how ridiculous or offensive you might find the things that come out of their mouths.”

Instead, Obama stressed that shutting down opposing opinions just makes an opponent a “victim, and then they can avoid accountability.”

“If the other side has a point, learn from them,” he continued. “If they’re wrong, rebut them, teach them, beat them on the battlefield of ideas!”

Watch:

[Mediaite]

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