In Defense of Raised Voices

[WilliamPitt]

In Defense of Raised Voices
By William Rivers Pitt
Truthout | Op-Ed

Friday 07 June 2013

(snip)

Hecklers have been loud in the news of late, which is somewhat charming in a way. In this age of instant online howling via Twitter and Facebook, someone heckling a speaker in person seems almost analog, a quaint throwback, and yet the act still has impact. Medea Benjamin of CODEPINK - a woman I am honored to call a friend, one of my most deeply-loved personal heroes, whose towering efforts deserve their own Brobdingnagian monument - managed to discombobulate President Obama's I-hate-drones-but-we're-gonna-keep-using-drones-probably-more-than-ever speech at the National Defense University by heckling him about the plight of the prisoners at Guantanamo.

More recently, Ellen Sturtz of the LGBT rights group GetEQUAL shouted down Michelle Obama, demanding that her husband draft and sign an executive order barring sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination by federal contractors. Sturtz did this at a DNC fundraising event, which means, presumably, she paid $500 for the ability to hoot this at the First Lady during her speech before getting shuffled out the door.

For anyone who has ever spoken in public, having a heckler is like having someone put a live electrical wire to your leg in mid-sentence. You're there under the lights, you're already geeked up because you're speaking to a crowd, but you know your speech and you're in your cadence and you're doing fine, and then...gah, what? Where? Why? I was doing so well, and now I have to think on my feet?

Yup. Exactly.

Sure, one can argue that being disruptive does nothing to serve your cause. Sure, one can argue that a president's wife is not an elected official, and so should be off limits to the raised voices of dissidents in the crowd.

To which I would reply:

1. In this depleted age of canned speeches, by-rote debates, processed news and "approved" information, one raised voice in some politician's polite parlor informs the millions who hear it that they are, in fact, not crazy, and not alone in the belief that it is time to start yelling about what is wrong. As a man wisely said, big clouds condense around small particles;

2. No one, but no one, is immune to the First Amendment, especially someone who headlines cash-happy campaign fundraising events. If you speak at events to raise money for a political party or campaign, if you actively campaign, you lose the right to hide behind the argument that you should be above and beyond such petty things as politics. You are politics.

And finally, this: in America, those in power who speak from on high are not untouchable, above and beyond the petty annoyances of those they rule. Abraham Lincoln spent most of his White House time glad-handing office-seekers and folks who just wanted to meet him. Those quaint days are long lost, but this is still America. If you're going to step to a microphone or stand upon a stage to espouse a position, you'd better be prepared to hear from the people, whether you want to or not.

The rest: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/16827-in-defense-of-raised-voices

[forestpath]

1. K&R this is exactly how I see it.

[geek tragedy]

2. I agree, but I think you would also agree that a heckler should not expect

the response to be one that is civil, polite, or respectful in turn.

Sure, it may happen if the speaker needs to be conciliatory. But, the speaker is also within their rights to confront the heckler by giving as good as they're getting, and then some.

[The Link]

3. I admire Ellen Sturtz.

I think the Obamas should be taken to task as often as possible on GLBT issues.

[idwiyo]

4. K&R

[monmouth3]

5. Wish I could unrec this gazillion times. Such tripe..n/t

[GeorgeGist]

11. If not for uppity women ...

Michelle Obama would probably be riding the bus.

[monmouth3]

12. ?

[onehandle]

6. I have nothing against disruption, but Michelle Obama wasn't elected to anything. nt

[Warren Stupidity]

7. She was acting as a de facto public official.

[onehandle]

8. In someone's backyard at a private event?

Next time I get drunk and a little loud at a barbecue, I'll be more careful.

[Bluenorthwest]

13. So you equate a Democratic fundraiser with entrance fees and officials present

to be just like a back yard drunken barbeque? You see no difference? At your barbecues, do people make formal speeches?Do you have security checks? Do you pay to get in?

[Warren Stupidity]

16. She was acting as a de facto public official at a "private" fund raising event.

In her role as a de facto public official at a political event free speech protests are entirely in play and appropriate.

[frylock]

14. she campaigned for him and is out promoting his policy..

she's a legit political figure. really not understanding the obsession with private property. the ballpark is private property. does that mean I can't yell out at a player or umpire?

[99Forever]

17. Hogwash.

Per the brilliant piece above:

"2. No one, but no one, is immune to the First Amendment, especially someone who headlines cash-happy campaign fundraising events. If you speak at events to raise money for a political party or campaign, if you actively campaign, you lose the right to hide behind the argument that you should be above and beyond such petty things as politics. You are politics."

Please read for content before making foolish statements.

[olddots]

9. I agree 100%

n.t

[Prism]

10. "You are politics."

This.

I find the argument that a First Lady at a political fundraiser is not a political figure totally flabbergasting.

Weapons grade.

[WilliamPitt]

15. Up

[99Forever]

18. Thank you Mr Pitt.

You once again express with clarity the heart of the matter.