COMMENTARY | Todd Graham of CNN opines that loud hecklers at the GOP debate in South Carolina on Monday night effectively hindered the flow of what should have been an informative exercise of democracy and campaigning.
Tyranny of the loud is not a recent phenomenon: The outspoken have had an oversized share of public discourse since the dawn of mankind, when the biggest and loudest Cro-Magnon could force others to run and hide. These days the tyranny of the loud is often parodied in comedy, showing a loudmouth being accommodated by civilized people who are too cultured to throw out ultimatums (or fists). A Dilbert comic strip once showed a character receiving a job, then an immediate promotion simply because he was loud and the boss wanted to placate the volume.
We accommodate and placate the loud because we are often socialized to do so. But when it comes to democracy and justice, where equality should be paramount, is it fair to let the loud and aggressive have a bigger share of our political leaders' attentions? No, it is not.
The traditional concept of one person, one vote should be extended to one's representation at a debate or other political activity in a public setting. Obnoxious behavior, as if a presidential debate were a football game or mixed-martial arts match, should be considered voter intimidation.
Just because it's not a day at the ballot box does not mean it is acceptable to intimidate through volume and display. People will feel disenfranchised if they cannot attend a political debate in person without being worried about being shouted down.
Freedom of speech is one thing, but what says the Constitution about freedom of volume?
As a relatively quiet person, I know I am biased. I cannot stand people who are loud simply for the sake of being loud. I've often felt they get some misguided sense of power out of being able to make others cringe or stay away. They seem to exude an obnoxious and odious challenge: You want me to quiet down? Well, what are you gonna do about it?
They know most people will not challenge their misbehavior -- we are socialized to want to de-escalate situations. But now that an area of intellectual of discourse seems to be falling prey to the loud and profane, will we "properly" socialized people stand up for ourselves?
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