As I watched the crowd’s response to the Trump Rally turn from a peaceful protest into a riot, I thought of a similar scene that often occurs in my common room of my dorm. I know I am not the only college student that has experienced this fight, the music war. My roommates and I are all very similar yet very different. Many times I have been in the common room studying with light background music, often Contemporary Christian or Indie Pop. My suitemate would join me to study in our common room and play her background music, often Hip-Hop or Rap. Before we know it, a music war has begun. Sometimes we do not even realize it. I like my music and want to hear it over hers, so I turn it up a notch. She then counters this action by turning hers up as well. Before we know it, our music is no longer soft and in the background but loud and declaring war on the other. My right to play my music and her right to play hers clashes and turns into an ugly mess of noises that neither can enjoy. Yup, that is exactly what I saw as I watched the chants of the opposing supporters clash into a destructive and somewhat violent scene.
When approached by a journalist each supporter, from either side, would state that they had a right to be there, a right to speak, and a right to be heard. Is this not true? In a free country is the right to speak our mind within our constitutional rights? Where does the line stand? When do our voices turn into noises that clash and no one can hear?
I am left seeing a different issue rising within the battle between voices. Instead of the issue of freedom of speech, there becomes an issue of preventing another’s speech to be heard. It is possible for two people to speak simultaneously, yet the impossible action is to be heard simultaneously. Communication is not a one-way street. Communication is the process of transferring a message or information to another. If those gathered inside and outside of Donald Trump’s Rally only desire to express their freedom of speech then they were successful. Those that desired to use their freedom of speech to communicate were unsuccessful. Using the freedom of speech to simply scream against but not communicate your message creates noise. No matter how much each opposing party turns up their volume, the message can never be heard if no one can hear it.
Ben Carson explained during an interview over the situation that one’s rights end when another’s have been infringed upon. As soon as your music has reached a volume that causes the other to no longer be able to hear their music, the innocence of your action has been lost. We live in a country that should embrace each genre rather than creating a cacophony of discord. As I stated before, my roommates and I are both very different and similar at the same time. This is true for our nation; in fact, this is what created our nation. Our nation is built on differences coming together and uniting in one common passion. The moment our differences outshine our purpose is the moment our nation truly has become divided. Heck, can we not “champion” the idea of “reigniting” a “revolution” to “make America great again” which will foster an “American Century” that is best “for Us?”
