I came prepared for that and have witnessed and learned a great deal about political systems, beliefs and steadfastness this election year. I was not shaken or afraid and I feel what that gentleman said was out of ignorance and fear. I actually feel sorry for people who either refuse to hear the truth or refuse to see it — or acknowledge that fear as a form of political bigotry.

I can sympathize with the pie-thrower in that wanting to shake people out of the matrix — but because of the setting of the pie event (an Earlham College event), I can see how it could have been construed as hostility (Kristol was a minority in political alignment, for example). I was working at the Palladium-Item at the time, and the whole fiasco was regarded as a big joke among the staff — so perhaps throwing the pie didn’t do much good outside the Earlham bubble.

Of course, pointing fingers and yelling at me obviously doesn’t do much good either.

So what would be a more effective way for these people to communicate their frustrations? And how can a host facilitate and ease dissent in the audience?

But yeah, dang. Next time I’ll ask for more moolah.