Obama to Mizzou Students: Protest But Don’t Shout Down Speech You Disagree With

President Obama supports the University of Missouri protesters vocalizing their problems with how the campus is being run, but said they shouldn’t be muzzling or shouting down speech they disagree with.

ABC released another video from the president’s interview with George Stephanopoulos today, and in it Obama reacted to the Mizzou protests. He said it’s “entirely appropriate for students in a thoughtful, peaceful way to protest,” but said being an activist “involves hearing the other side.”

Stephanopoulos brought up the idea of “militant political correctness,” which Obama completely rejected as a helpful tactic for protesters.

He said it’s very important for protesters to “be able to listen” because if you feel threatened by dissenting ideas, that’s a “recipe for dogmatism and I think you’re not gonna be as effective.”

Back in September, President Obama also spoke out about political correctness and trigger warnings at colleges, as well as efforts by some to keep people they disagree with from speaking on campus. He said, “I don’t agree that you… have to be coddled and protected from different points of view.”

Watch above, via ABC.

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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