When the arrival of a group of misguided evangelists shouting pseudoscience at a brick wall coincides with the first torrential downpour in months, the rain seems less like a coincidence than a response.

On the other hand, students knowingly braving the storm to stand up for what they believe in the face of such conditions is an admirable display, and combined with the resistance group-wall formed by several teachers and staff, as well as the display of support from parents and community leaders, they depict an inspiring image of what McCallum can be when confronted with malice.

The group of agitators, who call themselves the “Official Street Preachers,” and are officially acknowledged as a general hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center could return.

And if they do continue, utilizing a clever exploitation of legal loopholes, to protest in front of the school, the best thing we can do is know our rights.

Unfortunately, using one’s First-Amendment rights to spread misinformation and offensive language is protected by the government and therefore is not prosecutable. That means that if these “preachers” were to find some way around the aforementioned law, not much could be legally done to hold them accountable, due to how broadly applicable the amendment in question is.
The school administrators and AISD police believed that they could not take any actions to remove these individuals from their position of protest because they were on public property as opposed to school property, where all of their jurisdiction lies. In other words, no punishable trespassing was being committed. The events of the 22nd, however, certainly raise important legal questions.

In accordance with Texas Education Code 37.124, a person commits a class C misdemeanor if they are caught disrupting classes or school activities either on school grounds or on public property within 500 feet of school grounds. Emitting loud, bothersome noises and enticing students away from learning environments are included under “disruptive” behavior. It should also be taken into account that the statute of limitations for misdemeanors in the State of Texas is two years.

Nevertheless, that’s no excuse for us to commit violence or any other act of aggression against this group. No matter how frustrating having these people come to our doorstep and tell us how to live is, we must not give them power. This is the merit behind the Principal Baxa’s strong advice not to engage with the protesters. It’s no doubt infuriating to some that the administration has so strongly pushed for inaction against them. Some of us want to retaliate, to hurt them back.

But ultimately, by hurling these aggravator’s actions and words back at them, we consign ourselves to the same level they are on. In cases like these, inaction carries with it honor. By reciprocating their hate, you fuel them further.

Love and hate are not opposites. They can both push people to take things further than they otherwise would; in fact, that’s likely how these “street preachers” got so far. But hate is an expense we can’t spare. We shouldn’t effort arguing with people so set in their ways that they would hurl insults at high school students to prove a point.

The best way to cripple them is to not give them the time of day. Don’t talk to them, don’t record them, don’t even give them the courtesy of looking their way.

Don’t let them have a thing. If they don’t exist to us, they can’t hurt us. Before long, they’ll fade into nothing. Let them suffocate in the cold apathy of indifference.

Direct your attention inward; a strong sense of self is immune to the insults of others. Direct your emotions to your peers; value and appreciate each other’s strength and uniqueness. The show of support from students, teachers and parents the day after the interlopers arrived confirmed that we have that power and that proclivity.

Ironically, these aggressors may have shared a lesson we can actually learn from, and that’s what to avoid turning into. Hate begets hate. Spite begets spite. We are in one of the most important developmental stages in our lives. Take heed of this example of how not to live. If we let ourselves stagnate in negativity, we’ll turn out a bitter, resentful waste of our potential. Instead, let’s keep learning, and take in new perspectives. Let’s try to understand each other, and lift our fellow human beings up.

Knights should be fearless, after all.