Ben Shapiro's much-anticipated lecture at the University of California, Berkeley, on Thursday night was not obstructed by violence, and Shapiro was allowed to speak freely to an audience that included tens of thousands of online viewers. In other words, despite the riot police outside and estimated $600,000 worth of security costs, it went as a lecture on a college campus should go in this country.

Shapiro's lectures are always compelling from beginning to end, but he really shines during question-and-answer sessions. One student during Thursday's lecture challenged Shapiro to explain "why a first trimester fetus has moral value."

In his back-and-forth with the student, Shapiro put on a clinic in defending the unborn, respectfully dismantling his young opponent's logic until it was clear whose argument came out on top.

It's important to bring capable conservative thinkers to campuses precisely because it forces liberal students to confront weaknesses in the arguments that are foundational to their beliefs, a process they are rarely challenged to undergo by professors. That's the great benefit of free expression, and it goes both ways, which is why young conservatives tend to be articulate defenders of their beliefs given how often they're challenged during college.

On Thursday, Shapiro, along with his attentive and respectful audience, proved the value of free speech smack in the middle of its wayward birthplace.

Emily Jashinsky is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.