Posted by
AJH on Saturday, February 21, 2009 1:40:25 AM
With the news that a student at Los Angeles Community College is suing because of an idiot teacher, I thought my experience with the radicals on campus might be interesting to note. Recently the story and the attorney were featured on The B-Cast, so I sent a little email to the crew, Scott Baker and Liz Stephans, explaining some of the background on the bureaucrats trying to control speech and thought at colleges nationwide. I recommend anyone concerned about this effort to stifle the rights of students (and faculty, too) to check out the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).
Here's my note:
Free Speech Zones and Colleges
A "free speech zone" is actually a designated area, often quite small, on a campus where free speech is allowed. It does not apply to the entire campus, thus implying that the First Amendment is limited at college. I have personal experience with this at my own community college, and I live in "Red State" country.
When I reorganized the College Republicans during the 2004 election, I became a huge target for the Left and was considered Hitler by many on campus. Colleges today are very scary places. It is the prime example of what a nanny, fascist state looks like.
My college, for example, has one official "free speech zone" and one "free speech board" for the entire campus. It is beyond ridiculous. When we tried to put up posters from Young America's Foundation on communism and Eastern Europe, we were not allowed to do so.
The bureaucrats are so entrenched that it is difficult to make much progress. They certainly know what they are doing. As the lawyer said in the webcast, it will take suing every school individually to change the system, and even then, many activist officials will subvert the law whenever they deem necessary.
AJH