— And I can’t forget Florida Governor Rick Scott: he did what it took. So did UF President W. Kent Fuchs; and some others, we’ll get to shortly. [NOTE: Update on shooting arrests below.]

[BTW: I wasn’t in Gainesville, this commentary is based on reports from several respected media who were on the scene, especially: the Orlando Sentinel; the Miami Herald; the Gainesville Sun; and the Washington Post.]

It’s early, but the speech by Richard Spencer at the University of Florida on October 19 could turn out to be an important precedent, and  a “teachable moment” for American colleges.

One part of this precedent is that on a 52,000 student campus, the vast majority agreed with leaders of many stripes, and stayed away.

A Miami Herald column by Fabiola Santiago put it well:

      Without an audience, Richard Spencer is just another racist nobody.
      He’s made a name for himself out of stoking prejudice and he counts on stirring enough emotion to draw crowds and publicity and keep his hateful gig rolling along.
     There’s only one antidote to this kind of modern-day creep: Don’t make his ruse worth his while.
     Let him speak, but don’t reward him with your presence.
    Stay home.
   Play some Beatles.
   Imagine.

But we don’t have to imagine: in fact, the auditorium where Spencer spoke was no more than half-full.

Further, nobody on campus had even invited him: as a public, tax-supported  institution, UF rents some of its facilities to public customers; Spencer’s manager simply booked the room. Judges have rightly issued orders upholding such public access for most speech events. Continue reading Richard Spencer, U. of Florida & Free Speech: All Winners. But It Was Ugly. →