If he had chased or trapped them, refusing to let them alone, that would have been harassment. This was a confrontation in which the racist backed down. It was a victory not only for minorities, but for all who refuse to let others define their place in the world or who disobey orders from presumptuous strangers. America needs more people like that. I wish the University shared their faith in the power of reason, and the weakness of unreason.
Private universities have a unique degree of social and economic power over their students.
Unlike public schools, they are not bound by the constitution. Legally, students are their customers, their tenants and their guests. But colleges are exempt from the laws governing other landlords, and are able to ignore the codes of etiquette which presume that the guest or customer is always right or at least should be treated respectfully. To urge that this extraordinary power be used responsibly is not to belittle the university's rights. Sure, speech is action, in the same semantic sense in which people are animals and are therefore not allowed in the dormitories.