Arguments which pass for 'thoughtful' by the left

A partial Fisking.

Protesting an Anti-Trans Trump Judge Isn’t Disrespectful, It’s American

It's too target rich an article, so I'll just choose a few.

Then they did their old song and dance about free speech (for conservatives, not the protesters) and civility (toward conservatives, not the marginalized people

Nothing says "marginalized like being a law student at one of the most prestigious schools in the country.

conservatives hate). As is usual, they collapsed the difference between the right to appear at Stanford and the right to force 

No student was forced to attend the talk.

Stanford students to sit there like docile automatons while Duncan held forth. Everybody has the right to speak; nobody has the right to be heard over the din of the crowd. 

The student handbook specifically prohibits disruption of speakers.

"It is a violation of University policy for a member of the faculty, staff, or student body to:

 

1. Prevent or disrupt the effective carrying out of a University function or approved activity, such as lectures, meetings, interviews, ceremonies, the conduct of University business in a University office, and public events."

But the conservative echosphere pretends not to understand this distinction.

Perhaps, (and hopefully) it's Mystal who is doing the pretending here.

The entire escapade sure seems like a set-up. Duncan went into a hostile environment spoiling for a fight, got one, videotaped it, and then ran to his media spokes-buddies to cast himself as a victim. 

You know how you could avoid such "set-ups" in the future?  It's astonishingly simple:  Treat people with civility.  If you act like a crazed mob, don't come crying to The Nation.  Sure, they'll support you, but fair-minded people know that those Stanfordians stepped on a rake and you can be sure that they'll get the same result next time they act like a mob.