The goal of provoking conversation worked, but it came at a heavy price. Afterward, many students associated our organization solely with the Yiannopoulos event. That was extremely unfortunate as the aim of the event was more a demonstration of free expression than any endorsement of what he had to say.

I think that part of the reason organizations like mine bring speakers like Mr. Yiannopoulos is we know the conservative media will cover it. Most of those events can be put on at very little cost because of generous sponsorships, and they give the groups that host them a greater voice and attention on campus.

With that in mind, my advice for students who oppose such speakers is twofold. First, deny them the attention they crave. Mr. Yiannopoulos is only a sensation for the reaction he gets from other people. He says very little of substance and stages his speeches to be more theatrical than anything else. By having a huge protest, students who oppose his ideas play into his hands. If nobody showed up to these events, the students who bring these speakers would stop. It wouldn’t be fun anymore.

If you can’t ignore the speaker or if you feel too strongly about his or her ideas, then show up with well-prepared questions. Virtually all of these speakers will have a Q. and A. session and this is your chance to shine. Do your homework. Call them out on the facts. This might even change minds in the audience, too.

My second piece of advice is slightly more involved: Join the organizations who bring these types of speakers, or partner with them to turn one-sided speech into a debate. Just show up to a meeting and say you are interested. The next time they discuss who to bring to campus, you will likely have a say. Voice your opinion. Talk about what a certain speaker won’t help change on campus, or why a debate would be more interesting. Conversations around a table are much better for consensus building than yelling at one another across a room.