Whether or not someone has a formal right to speak in an offensive and intimidating way is not the only issue. Any bystander has an equal right to say that offensive and harassing speech is not appropriate in the workplace or in an academic or living setting. Therefore, if you observe harassment happening around you at MIT, please do not ignore it. If possible, interrupt it. You may, of course, simply ask the offending person to behave in a professional manner without explicit criticism.
Many people believe that bystanders are very effective at interrupting and preventing harassment.
It is also true when one person is inappropriately pursuing another person, or is taunting or baiting another person. If you are not sure whether the apparent target of the behavior was offended, find a private time to ask her or him, since your taking action may not be welcome. If you are afraid to act on your own with respect to a person who intimidates you, see if there is a group of responsible people who feel the same way, who will speak up together with you. If you are in doubt about what to do, please seek advice from the academic or workplace supervisor of the apparent harasser, talk privately with the apparent harasser, or call an appropriate person listed in MIT Resources . If you are a supervisor at MIT and observe what you believe to be harassment, you have a responsibility to take appropriate action.