[guest post by Dana]

In the aftermath of the recent rioting at UC Berkeley, where extremists physically attacked and injured individuals hoping to hear Milo Yiannopoulos speak, it was dismaying to see the casual response of California’s state officials toward the mayhem and toward the individuals committing acts of violence. Equally disturbing was the casual disregard of the First Amendment rights by these same state officials. As a resident of the state, and one who checks the box of several protected identity groups, I find this lack of concern particularly disturbing. We now know with certainty that a number of top state officials are not equal-opportunity defenders of all Californians. They are not committed to making a public stand against all acts of violence and bigotry, and are not equal-opportunity protectors of our right to speech and to peacefully assemble. Because, as they have clearly demonstrated, a vigorous condemnation of violence and an equally vigorous condemnation of speech being shut down is reserved for a select group. And that group is the one that espouses only the liberal company line. Understanding this, where does that leave Golden State residents who do not hold to the tenets of liberalism? Nowhere safe, that’s for sure. Because when my elected officials cannot even agree on the very basic principle that all acts of violence demand to be wholly condemned by anyone in state leadership, and that any efforts to shut down speech are likewise to be equally condemned, we are left with a unique form of state-sanctioned bigotry that endangers any who dare to think and speak differently.

Consider that California Gov. Jerry Brown, who took the time to promise immigrants, both legal and illegal, that the state “will defend everybody — every man, woman and child — who has come here for a better life and has contributed to the well-being of our state,” has remained silent in the face of the Berkeley rioting and its aftermath. How is his deafening silence not a tacit approval of the violent and oppressive acts of rioters? Shame on him.

Let’s consider some of the responses of other California officials. Leading the pack in fundraising for the 2018 state governor’s race, current Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom equates Milo Yiannopoulos with the violent rioters, and equates vitriol with violence, while conveniently ignoring that pesky issue of speech. Further, it is President Trump who is the target of his wrath:

Hatred has no home on California’s public university campuses in any form, from vitriol to violence. We witnessed both extremes at UC Berkeley’s campus last night, from the racism and misogyny of fly-by-night provocateur and white supremacist Milo Yiannopoulos, to the excessive response of a *few protestors. Both create fear, neither embody freedom. Freedom of speech lives in the fabric of UC Berkeley; Cal is everything Trump University is not. President Trump’s asinine threat to pull funding from Cal showed zero awareness of the real-world implications of a President’s words and actions. Stripping federal funds from UC would only create more innocent victims and more Trump carnage. President Trump is quick to attack American students, immigrants, women, the LGBT community, journalists, and our international allies but he is either too weak or too ignorant to stand up to white supremacists and others who spew hatred. That’s why the President and his extremist acolytes like Yiannopoulos need to hear from the resistance, loudly and repeatedly. We must continue to step in and stand up to resist reckless rhetoric and actions in a peaceful and forceful manner.

Newsom’s claims of *a few protestors depends on how you define “few”. And clearly, the definitions of “peaceful” and “forceful” are up for debate as well…

But for Godsake, can we just not all agree, no matter our political preferences, that freedom of speech obviously no longer lives in the fabric of UC Berkeley? Weren’t we all just witness to that fact? Reality isn’t what we wish it to be, or need it to be. It simply is what it is. And sometimes that hurts our political side of the aisle. But it can also shine a spotlight on that which needs to be admitted to, and worked on to change.

This response is from California Senate Leader Kevin de Leon:

From Congresswoman Barbara Lee, whose district includes Berkeley:

From Congresswoman Karen Bass, representing California 37th US Federal Congressional District, who didn’t even mention the rioting and violence:

And, from the State of California’s executive branch, as well as state politicians who are being named as potential contenders for the governorship and/or have already officially announced they are running, including Gov. Jerry Brown, Sen. Kamala Harris (former state AG), state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Secty of State Alex Padilla, John Chiang, State Treasurer, former State Superintendent Delane Eastin, Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti, and former Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa, no condemnation of the violence, no advocacy for speech, but instead, nothing but crickets.

(Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back)

–Dana