The American paradox of protest: Celebrated and condemned, welcomed and muzzled

They’re hallmarks of American history: protests, rallies, sit-ins, marches, disruptions. They date from the early days of what would become the United States to the sights and sounds currently echoing across the landscapes of the nation’s colleges and universities. Just as much a part of that American history are those same events being met with irritation, condemnation, anger and force. Americans cherish the right to assemble and speak out. It’s enshrined in the first of the constitutional amendments. But the same activities can produce wariness and outright opposition when life’s routines are interrupted, and worry that those speaking out are outsiders looking to sow chaos and influence impressionable minds.