What Happened When a Student Kicked a Projector at College?

TL;DR

A University of Iowa student was charged with disturbing lawful assembly and criminal mischief after kicking over a projector during a presentation by Newsmax host Benny Johnson. This incident highlights ongoing debates about free speech on college campuses and effective ways to handle political disagreements, as Johnson's presence was meant to discuss memes in politics.

Transcript

straight away a student at the University of Iowa is arrested after kicking over a projector during a Newsmax host's presentation on memes now that student is facing charges I'm Anjanette Levy and welcome to law and crime's sidebar podcast this incident happened this past week and it happened at the University of Iowa Benny Johnson who is a trump s... Read More

Key Insights

• 🉐 Benny Johnson started his career as a writer for BuzzFeed, gaining popularity with clickbaity listicles that often touched on politics.
• 👻 He became known as an ardent Trump supporter and currently hosts a show on Newsmax.
• 👯 Johnson is involved with Turning Point USA, a conservative activist group focused on engaging young people in conservative politics.
• 🥶 The incident at the University of Iowa sparked a debate on free speech and the appropriate way to handle disagreements on college campuses.
• 😯 The First Amendment protects both freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, as highlighted in the University of Iowa's response.
• 🗨️ The incident gave Johnson material to stir up his followers and paint the left as unable to handle opposing speech.
• 💨 Physical violence, such as kicking over a projector, is not an effective or acceptable way to handle disagreements.

Questions & Answers

Q: Who is Benny Johnson and why is he known in the conservative movement?

Benny Johnson gained popularity as a writer for BuzzFeed, creating clickbaity listicles often touching on politics. He was fired in 2014 after being accused of plagiarism and has since become an ardent Trump supporter, hosting a show on Newsmax and working with Turning Point USA to engage young people in conservative politics.

Q: What charges is the University of Iowa student facing?

The student, Travell Wright, is facing charges of disturbing lawful assembly, disorderly conduct, and criminal mischief for kicking over a projector during Benny Johnson's presentation.

Q: How did the University of Iowa respond to the incident?

The University of Iowa stated that registered student organizations and their activities are protected by the First Amendment, and they do not apologize for allowing Benny Johnson to speak on campus.

Q: How did Benny Johnson respond to the incident?

Benny Johnson released a statement on Twitter, claiming that the incident proved that the left can't take a joke and that the reaction validated the effectiveness of the meme in provoking an emotional response.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• A University of Iowa student, Travell Wright, is facing charges for disturbing lawful assembly, disorderly conduct, and criminal mischief after kicking over a projector during a presentation by Newsmax host Benny Johnson.

• Johnson, known for his work on BuzzFeed and as an ardent Trump supporter, was giving a lecture on memes and their use in politics.

• The incident has sparked a debate on free speech on college campuses and the appropriate way to handle disagreements.