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The viral video out of Starkville shows what real-world disorder looks like: while Dave Portnoy was filming a One Bite pizza review, a man stepped in, hurled antisemitic abuse and even tossed coins at him, sparking a chaotic scene that officers properly investigated. Social media mobs and some national outlets immediately tried to frame the story as a censorship or “hate speech” arrest, but the facts tell a clearer story about public safety and accountability.
Authorities identified the suspect as a 20-year-old Mississippi State University student, who was charged with disturbing the peace after the incident and later withdrew from the university; he was processed and released on bond. This was not a case of government silencing political opinion — it was a criminal response to conduct that went beyond mere words and into harassment and possible threats to public order.
Let’s be crystal clear: offensive speech, however vile, is often protected, but the law has always drawn a line at actions that create disorder, provoke violence, or target people in a way that makes public spaces unsafe. Starkville police rightly said the difference between protected speech and criminal disruption is conduct that threatens safety and order, and they acted within that narrow and necessary boundary. Conservatives should defend free speech while also defending the right of decent citizens to live and work without being harassed on the street.
What’s sickening is the predictable parade of defenders who rush to absolve bad behavior when it suits their narratives. Plenty of institutions and activists live by double standards: they howl about “cancel culture” until a student’s actions go viral, at which point the same institutions suddenly discover moral clarity and move swiftly. If universities and towns are going to lecture about inclusion, they owe the public consistency — and that includes not protecting students who cross the line into harassment.
This episode also exposes the media’s worst instincts: too many outlets leapt to dramatic labels instead of reporting the sequence of events. Conservatives shouldn’t let sloppy journalism rewrite reality; the record — video, police statements, and charges — shows a criminal charge for disturbing the peace tied to aggressive conduct, not a cudgel to silence unpopular speech. Law and order must mean the same thing in every neighborhood, regardless of the victim’s profile or the political spin applied.
Credit where it’s due: Portnoy released footage and forced the issue into the open, giving the public the evidence too many outlets tried to obscure. Americans of every persuasion should be thankful that there are still people willing to shine light on these confrontations instead of letting them be swept into partisan narratives that excuse mob behavior. Holding offenders accountable and making the truth visible is how communities heal.
At the end of the day, conservatives must stand for both free expression and common-sense public safety. Demand consistent enforcement, push universities to stop reflexively protecting bad behavior, and call out media spin when it appears. Hardworking Americans deserve streets and public spaces where decency is enforced, not where rage and lawlessness are rewarded with headlines.
