Gerald Molen, the co-producer of such movies as “Schindler’s List” and “Jurassic Park”, was trying to do a good thing the other day.  He travelled to the high school in Ronan, Montana, to give a talk to seniors about their potential and how they can exploit it to make their lives better.  Instead, he was met by the school principal and denied entry to the school.  You see, the school had received calls from parties unknown expressing concern that Mr. Molen, a conservative and outspoken critic of President Obama, ought not to be addressing students.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a prime example of the basic tactics of the ideologically motivated zealots on both sides of the political spectrum.  By not allowing those with whom they disagree an opportunity to have any part of the public square, they seek to manipulate all discussion toward their own talking points and message.  Be it when a conservative movie producer is prevented by an agent of the state from addressing a group of students about their potential or when a gay rights activist is prevented from giving a speech about bullying and discrimination, it’s wrong.  The freedom to have your own speech and beliefs is also the freedom to have other people say or believe things that piss you off.  If you can’t deal with other people swimming in the community pool of ideas, go back to the wading pool with the other intellectual and emotional toddlers.

Should Mr. Molen give a political speech to high school students, no matter what his views?  Probably not.  Political indoctrination by either side doesn’t belong in our schools.  But that wasn’t his plan that morning.  The people who called the school, if they even exist, had no idea what he was going to say, but they acted to prevent someone with whom they disagree from voicing any opinion, and they used an agent of the government to do it.  The principal of Ronan High School should be ashamed.  I’m sure that somewhere in his school there is a copy of the Constitution.  Maybe he should read it and see where he fits into it when he is doing his job, and how it limits his actions as an agent of the state.

As for those who deny someone else their time to speak, all I can say is that there are ports of entry along the Canadian and Mexican borders, and the nation is dotted with international airports.  Maybe they ought to use them if they don’t want to allow others to exercise the same rights they enjoy.  I love the fact that people disagree with me without fear of reprisal, but either learn to live with the fact that other people don’t always agree with you or leave.  If you want to live in an ideological monoculture, there are plenty of places around the world that you might find more to your liking.