The Wrong Side of Irony

I want to acknowledge Jeff Greenfield’s well-written and balanced piece in the Voices section “A Sad End to a Good Day.” Thank you for providing an overview of the events on the UCSB campus honoring the life and work of Walter Capps, whose life work as educator and member of Congress focused on the idea that “democracy starts with conversations.”

Sitting somewhere on the wrong side of irony, the final day’s panel discussion was shut down by protestors shouting for a cease-fire and end to genocide in the Gaza/Israel conflict. Panelists had to stop their conversation repeatedly as they couldn’t speak, much less discuss the issues, over the shouters, and in the end gave up. The “heckler’s veto.” Conversation over.

Mr. Greenfield notes the irony of “shouting down a conversation about the life and work of a teacher who devoted himself to reconciliation and commonality.”

Thank you, Jeff Greenfield, for covering the Walter Capps event, and continuing the conversation.