Any speaker who can spark topical, impassioned discussion by means of a controversial and well-articulated perspective will anger some. That type of fervent reaction is the hallmark of a quality speaker. Though not known to many on this campus, Ayaan Hirsi Ali provided an insightful, reasoned argument that carried an important commentary on the nature of disagreement in society.

The controversial Ali alarmed and angered some in attendance, particularly Muslim students, and understandably so as she is such a vociferous critic of Islam. The vehement response of these students was a welcome departure from the apathy typically associated with speakers on campus.

Critically, though, much of what Ali argued hinged on the idea that a constant discourse that respects the individual is the cornerstone of a free society. In speaking on the American Enterprise Institute, what many would term a conservative think tank of which she is a resident fellow, Ali remarked on her interest in the group for its lively debate and the lack of a uniform platform or agenda. Her commentary on the need for a society in which disagreement and dissension are permitted, rather than forced restriction to the beliefs of the collective, holds a particular relevance in this era of the so-called political polarization.

Ali herself stands at the head of several contradictions, reinforcing her call to rationally examine things for what they are, and not as part of a group mentality. Though a radical critic of Islam and an atheist, she’s a fellow at AEI along with deeply religious figures like Newt Gingrich and Fred Thompson. She presents her uniqueness as an individual as the defining characteristic of her identity.

In many ways, the need for the respect of that sanctity of the fellow individual’s rights holds up our way of life as Americans. The message to take away is this: we should not shy away from respectful, and at times vehement, disagreement.