Ben Shapiro is coming to U.C. Berkeley soon, and many on the left-wing campus are not pleased with the conservative pundit’s scheduled appearance - with protests slated and counseling services being offered to those who might be irritated by his presence.
Shapiro, the pugilistic editor of The Daily Wire, has responded with characteristic humor, comparing himself to Godzilla in a widely shared Twitter post.
Coming to Berkeley like pic.twitter.com/aHERZ5p64w— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) September 13, 2017
Berkeley has been a flashpoint for free speech recently, with violent protests and university administrators obstructing the right of conservatives - including Shapiro, Ann Coulter and provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos - from speaking there. Shapiro is planning to speak there to challenge the campus’ commitment to open discussion.
Shapiro, who has been smeared as a “fascist thug” and “white supremacist” by the RefuseFascism organization, is an Orthodox Jew and has been a leading target of the racist “alt-right” movement.
Contact Daniel J. Solomon at solomon@forward.com or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon