I find it interesting that people talk about how the audience "booed Hedges off the stage", and then debate whether or not they were justified in this aggressive behavior.

When I listen to the audio, the audience is barely audible. If they'd made that much noise in support, he would not have complained. What he said was in excerable taste, but he had the legal right to speak. However, the audience has the right to voice disapproval just as much to voice approval.

He wasn't intimidated or forced off the stage. He just chickened out when he realized how much people disagreed with him. The right to voice your opinion does not include the right to silence those who disagree with you.

You know, I'm changing my opinion about this event. At first I did think it was innappropriate, what happened, and compared it to when guys like Daniel Pipes or Benjamin Netanyahu come around and are shouted down, or have their speeches disrupted.

Now I feel this is different. This is an event for *all* the students. It's not the type of event, like a lecture, or a debate, where people can simply stay away, and I do think that's different.

You're right, if people can cheer, others can certainly boo. The man who went up on stage was out of line, though.

If you watch the video, I think you'll find the noise was louder than on the audio, at least the audio I heard, which seemed to be a straight feed from the mic, where the camera is in the audience.

I'll hand it to Hedges, though. I had heard he cut it short, but it doesn't look like it. In fact, he just couldn't take a hint. The audience got louder and louder, but he soldiered right ahead to the bitter end.

Prick.