Do laws against harassment and assault not apply at Dartmouth?
There are no laws.
There is only power.
As an alumnus (granted from almost 30 years ago....), I feel qualified to answer this. Let me preface my response by saying that I am a card-carrying Republican and an ardent supporter of the Second Amendment, and always have been. I chose where to pursue higher education based on academic excellence, not politics. I’m fairly sure I was the only non-liberal ever on campus. Being an absolute minority conservative on a liberal campus makes for a very interesting educational experience.
BLM is just about the most abhorrent group to walk the face of the earth, with the possible exception of Westboro Baptist Church. That said, whether we like it or not, Free Speech is a constitutional right. Trump rallies have repeatedly seen far more hatred and violence than this, and yet these are permitted expressions of the right to free speech. Ferguson? Same story...those arrested were arrested for physical violence and breaking the law, not verbal stupidity. Westboro needs no explanation.
Do I agree with ANY of the tactics groups like this take? No just no, but HELL no. Unfortunately, disagreeing with BLM’s message (which I do, completely) doesn’t mean they have no right to speak. Dartmouth is nothing more than geography...if not there, they’d trot on down the road to Lebanon College, or Colby-Sawyer College or Norwich University. Sadly, BLM and other hate groups have the same constitutional right to free speech as every other citizen. While I sometimes wish there could be limits placed on free speech and how opinions can be expressed, that would be a slippery slope to start down.
Back in the day, “free speech” had a very different meaning. Carrying signs and burning bras, etc.... Now, as is common with much of the “entitled” generation, they don’t know when to stop, or when too far is too far with this as a constitutional right.
Just my two cents.