These coming months in Columbia are going to be a bit tense. No, not because of exams or the end of football season (although the latter might actually be cause to relax). Our "famously hot" home away from home will soon be center stage for Republican candidates, as the South Carolina primary looms ever closer.
We've already seen candidates parade through; we've listened to the platforms — whether we agreed with them or not. Rep. Michele Bachmann visited Columbia again Thursday, stopping by Lizard's Thicket in Cayce to speak to supporters. Her visit came the evening after a tumultuous afternoon across the state in Mount Pleasant, where her speech on American diplomacy was interrupted by members of the Occupy Wall Street movement. The protestors had a short, simple message: Bachmann's politics divide Americans. Their chanting completely derailed the event and Bachmann, unable to finish her speech, was eventually led off the stage by a security escort.
We're glad that residents of Columbia, even her detractors, were able to respectfully welcome Bachmann back. Given the nature of politics, not everyone agrees with her platform, but she's campaigning for the presidency of this county. She deserves a chance to share her proposed policies. We'd say the same for any candidate, Republican or Democrat.
The occupants who broke up her rally, themselves so vocal when it comes to issues of free speech, seemed to have forgotten what their movement is all about. Disagreement is not grounds for disruption; our rights to expression guarantee a certain respect. It is sometimes hard to stick to this ideal, but it is what is expected of us nonetheless.