Jon is absolutely right. The inhospitable treatment of Doctorow at Hofstra is going to be cited as proof that the problem on campus is intolerant conservatives.
It would be so much better if, instead of booing, offended listeners had a means of expressing their distaste that did not involve a noisy interruption. Stony silence at the end of a talk is ineffective, since many people will offer perfunctory applause, enabling the speaker to walk away without realizing how his speech angered others. Turning thumbs down would probably be interpreted by the Left as proof that we embrace violence at some root level.
We need some universal symbol of disapproval — like the universal traffic signs — for individuals to display whenever they’ve had to endure an inappropriately political talk. How about a large card with a frowny face or a gray cloud?
