By snoadmin
Woohoo, we can now burn flags and other icons on Cal State Long Beach’s campus. Feel like shouting, “Hey girl, nice ass,” at The Beach? Go for it. Nobody can touch you for being uncivil at a California State University campus ever again, unless it’s perhaps a clout to the mandible.
The CSU system recently had its politically correct gloves removed, allowing students to say whatever they wish on campus, no matter whom it offends.
San Francisco State’s College Republicans took the CSUs to task over the First Amendment because the group felt its rights had been violated.
The campus investigated the College Republicans for nearly five months following a demonstration where the organization burned flags of terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas.
Some community members were offended by the act and complained to the heads of SFSU, which then launched the investigation. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the word “Allah” was inscribed on the two organizations’ flags, and, to the members of the Islamic community, the burning was an offense to their religion.
Although the school decided the protest did not violate any civil conduct codes, the group took SFSU to federal court claiming that the existence of such codes violated its First Amendment rights.
The court agreed and mandated that the 23-campus CSU system repeal any civil conduct codes and any language that indicates possible discipline for being uncivil. In other words, you can’t be punished for being rude, offensive or uncouth.
The only thing more shocking about this story than learning that there are actually enough Republicans in San Francisco to start a student organization is that there has been an actual civility code on the CSU campuses.
It’s surprising, but, up until this court battle, CSUs could punish any person on campus for saying or doing anything that they felt was “uncivil.” U.S. Judge Magistrate Wayne Brazil deemed that this includes “emotional, disrespectful and offensive speech” – things which he argues are key elements in the First Amendment.
We had no idea that emotional and offensive speech was considered such a touchy subject for the CSUs. We were under the impression that college is a place for people to challenge ideas.
Sure, some of that emotional and offensive speech can be obnoxious, crude and down right scary. But, as Brazil explained, the First Amendment isn’t in place to protect clean and safe speech, it’s to protect the stuff many people may not want to hear.
Just look at those people with the big, white signs who come to campus sometimes. What they believe in offends a lot of people. Actually, if you read their signs in their entirety, it probably offends all people. But, they have just as much of a right to say whatever it is they want to say as anyone else.
Those who disagree may do so equally.
Punishing people who believe in things that others may find offensive should not be a college’s responsibility. Free speech allows everyone the chance to argue her or his points.
When a school starts picking and choosing which viewpoints are “civil,” it unfairly puts people on trial for speaking their minds.
Maybe the flag burning offended some, but there are plenty of groups that have offended people just as much. That doesn’t mean they should face academic discipline for publicly airing their expressions.
Of course, freedom of speech comes with responsibilities, too. So don’t be surprised if the person you shout, “Hey dude, nice tits” at rearranges your smile.
But then, that’s a different CSU code.
