A form of leftist tyranny in the age of Trump is to adopt and practice the popular slogan of African-American activists, “no justice no peace,” by so-called anti-Fascist groups organized against Trump’s “fascism.”
To their credit, African-American activists usually, but not always, organize around this slogan to protest actual events, frequently involving alleged wrongdoing committed against blacks by the police. “Justice” means the police officer, if proclaimed innocent of such “crimes” by juries, must go to jail. The “no peace” part of the slogan carries with it the threat of violence if such a demand is not met.
It is inevitable that the self-proclaimed “anti-fascist” groups, always playing fast and loose with the fascist label, would carry out such tactics. The crucial difference is that these groups, unlike their African-American counterparts, aren’t attacking actual “crimes,” but the very ideas of those who don’t share their leftist ideology.
For them, the “no peace” is used to pressure universities into bowing before their demands.
Appropriately, the ultra-liberal University of California at Berkeley has caved to these kinds of terror threats in recent months. “Anti-fascists” have promised violent tactics such as setting fire to a generator, firebombing cars, and beating up random citizens if UC Berkeley allows conservative speakers on the campus.
Administration officials are so spooked by the violent promises of these groups they have met left-wing demands by withdrawing invitations to conservatives like Ann Coulter.
But college conservatives are making their own demands of the university, without any promises of violence if Republicans don’t get their way: that the administration honors their duty of free expression on campus by allowing those with differing ideas to give scheduled speeches.
Showing considerable courage, conservative Ben Shapiro is willing to brave possible leftist violence by accepting the College Republicans’ invitation to speak at Berkeley in September.
According to a spokesman for the Berkeley College Republicans, Naweed Tahmas, the university “canceled” the group’s “last three speaker events” out of fears of violent protests “last semester.”
Shapiro himself has called on UC Berkeley, where he plans to address “students of all viewpoints,” not to cave into left-wing violence:
“[The UC Berkeley administration must] not hide behind the heckler’s veto of despicable groups like Antifa to prevent this event from moving forward.”
According to Tahmas, Shapiro’s speech will not be designed to preach to the faithful but will have a question-and-answer format to allow for a healthy and productive debate:
“As with every BCR event, the Ben Shapiro event will be structured in a question-and-answer format. This will give an opportunity for students to ask questions to the speaker or to even challenge him in the room itself. Mr. Shapiro welcomes debate. This event will give students of all perspectives an opportunity to discuss the issues Mr. Shapiro raises.”
