University Bans Humor Quotation From Student's Door

[johnnymk]

There are "No Free Speech Zones"?

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCampus.as...20061019a.html

(CNSNews.com) - Officials at Marquette University have ordered a Ph.D. student to remove a quotation critical of the federal government from his office door, because the hallway the door faces is not a "free speech zone."

In August, Stuart Distler, a doctoral student teacher, posted a quotation from humor columnist Dave Barry on his office door. "As Americans, we must always remember that we all have a common enemy, an enemy that is dangerous, powerful and relentless," the sign stated. "I refer, of course, to the federal government."

On Sept. 5, Philosophy Department Chairman James South informed Distler via email that the sign had been taken down because it was "patently offensive."

"While I'm a strong supporter of academic freedom," South wrote, "I'm afraid that hallways and office doors are not 'free-speech zones.' If material is patently offensive and has no obvious academic import or university sanction, I have little choice but to take note."

When asked to comment on academic freedom at the university, South told Cybercast News Service he had "no interest in pursuing that conversation, but I do appreciate your interest."

South directed further questions to university spokeswoman Mary Pat Pfeil, who did not respond to requests for comment via telephone and email Wednesday.

According to the university policy South quoted in his email to Distler, student teachers are allowed to participate in free speech "when he/she speaks or writes as a citizen," but when speaking or writing as a teacher, the university "imposes special obligations."

While student teachers are "entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing his/her subject," they are required to "exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others and should make every effort to indicate that he/she is not an institutional spokesperson."

"This incident at Marquette is part of a truly disturbing trend," Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), said in a release.

"Administrators seem willing to ban speech across the board and to designate increasingly tiny 'free speech zones' rather than risk any student or faculty member being offended," Lukianoff said.

Referring to the quotation as a "harmless joke," Lukianoff said the controversy at Marquette illustrates "how even innocuous expression is under ongoing assault at our colleges and universities."

[MikeD]

I see no problem with this. If it was his home or personal dwelling, that would be one thing. That's not the case here...it's the university's office. They have the right to dictate what can and can't be posted there.

[hapoo]

I wanna know who would be offended at that comment.

[Airencracken]

Free speech zone. Free speech zone. Free speech zone?!?! Um...No. This is asinine.

[Burzhui]

I wanna know who would be offended at that comment.

I will tell you who will get offended your average middle American schmo will get offended

[Houdini]

I will tell you who will get offended your average middle American schmo will get offended

Huh?

Plenty of people are for smaller government/less government interference. I doubt that that makes them schmos, though.

[gwilks98]

I have to admit, having such a strong political statement on an office door seems unprofessional and inappropriate. Free speech is out of bounds here. That's just tacky and that's how the university should have responded.


Besides, when I see that garbage, I tend to think the person who wants to post to every anonymous stranger their strong political views is an ass. I don't even know you and the first thing I get greeted with is your 1 sided argument. Goodbye, ass.

[hapoo]

While that may be, I just don't understand how you could take something like that personal. Its not directed at ANYONE!

[LPMiller]

I have to admit, having such a strong political statement on an office door seems unprofessional and inappropriate.

Strong political statment? It's satire. Sheesh.

Free speech is out of bounds here.

Such a chilling comment. Free speech is not out of bounds. While yeah, they can control what goes on their walls, saying that free speech itself is out of bounds is just...absurd.[/quote]

Besides, when I see that garbage, I tend to think the person who wants to post to every anonymous stranger their strong political views is an ass. I don't even know you and the first thing I get greeted with is your 1 sided argument. Goodbye, ass.

Ok, explain to me his political views based on that statement. Frankly, I think you could find that statement being agreed to by either party. Mostly because it's a joke.

I remember when people could actually risk offending people. And the offended person had to like, deal with it. Remember dealing with things? That was awesome.

[Houdini]

Ok, explain to me his political views based on that statement. Frankly, I think you could find that statement being agreed to by either party. Mostly because it's a joke.

I remember when people could actually risk offending people. And the offended person had to like, deal with it. Remember dealing with things? That was awesome.

People get offended way too easily. Additionally Everyone walks on broken glass to avoid indadvertendly offending other cultures, religions, races, etc., just based on terminology.

And.......it was written by effing DAVE BARRY! Gimme a break.

[gwilks98]

Meh...I'm pretty thick skinned LP. I really can't be offended and wasn't by this guys statements. I wasn't even disagreeing with what was posted, just how it was done.

You can say pretty much what you want to me. I'll be the first to make a racist or political joke. But I just feel like it doesn't belong on a billboard to throw at every passerby who's unfortunate enough to look in that general direction.

If the same guy came up to you on a street and said the same thing he posted on his office door, you'd be more annoyed than offended. (which is exactly how I feel.) To me, it's not a matter of free speech, but of poor taste.

[MikeD]

Remember dealing with things? That was awesome.

I dunno...some folks would say that applies here. The university took a stance. People should deal with it.

[Airencracken]

I remember when people could actually risk offending people. And the offended person had to like, deal with it. Remember dealing with things? That was awesome.

Yeah that was awesome. The problem with being PC and making sure no one is offended is that once everything is okay, nothing is okay. I know that sounds cryptic.

[johnnymk]

It started with "We are the World"

What a nauseating song..a tribute to absolutely nothing!

[LPMiller]

If the same guy came up to you on a street and said the same thing he posted on his office door, you'd be more annoyed than offended. (which is exactly how I feel.) To me, it's not a matter of free speech, but of poor taste.

i'd be annoyed if anyone talked to me off the street, period. But I can't see this statement EVER bothering me.

I dunno...some folks would say that applies here. The university took a stance. People should deal with it.

I see what your saying, but this is a business, so it's a little different. Also, people don't get in trouble for their political statements, only their name calling and general nastiness. Which isn't quite the same thing as a piece of paper with dave barry on it.

[welfareloser]

[QUOTE=johnnymk]It started with "We are the World"
[QUOTE]



(best laugh of the day ... well, season, around here )

[ShawnLee]

Indeed, I like that line from johnnymk.

I agree with the stupids. If the university knocked it cause it was tacky, sure, of course, regulations on the method of speech are legal.
Because of its message? Heck no. That there are free speech zones and that they are acceptable, these are symbolic of the inanity and stupidity inherent in the modern university education system. God forbid there be free speech at a university.

This grad student should take that piece of paper, and nail it to the door of the administration building, Lord knows if they'd even get the reference.

Free speech zones! What the heck is that? When the freakin' heck did America need to designate free speech zones in a university? You know what free speech in a university should be? The right to say your stupidest beliefs, and then the right for other people to call your beliefs the stupidest thing ever. Man! This riles me up!

Meanwhile, the only person to come out looking good here is Dave Barry, cause now there's proof that someone actually reads his stuff.

The only way I'll find this acceptable is if Marquette similarly takes down cartoons and quotes from all its doors. Then see what would happen. Deprive the faculty of their ability to communicate and share with each other, who knows what would happen? Without Doonesbury or the with of the Far Side to commisserate with one another (or graphs on gov't spending, or charts on military action, or quotes from Noam Chomsky, or something similar), you'd have chaos, pandemonium, rioting professors! It'd be like the sixties all over again, except now their bodies would be all saggy during the free love sessions. Actually, forget it, I saw footage from Woodstock, a lot of their bodies were saggy then.

[Airencracken]

Meanwhile, the only person to come out looking good here is Dave Barry, cause now there's proof that someone actually reads his stuff.

[ShawnLee]

I amended my thoughts on this slightly on reflection. The university, especially if private, can mandate that their profs fall in line with their stated goals and policies, i.e. a Christian university might hire a non-Christian so long as the non-Christian conforms to certain standards that align with the school's stated goals and policies. That said... It is still stupid, and the majority of my rant still stands. Including the rip on Dave Barry.

[Hoser]

When I worked in a cubicle farm in the Air Force, I was asked (told) to take a Dilbert cartoon off my partition. I know that at the time that I was definitely not in a free speech zone.

[Houdini]

When I worked in a cubicle farm in the Air Force, I was asked (told) to take a Dilbert cartoon off my partition. I know that at the time that I was definitely not in a free speech zone.

True, but Universities are usually upheld as forums for those who hear differing opinions, learn to formulate ideas, employ critical thinking, respond to those opinions, and learn. In fact, historically that has been encouraged. Likely moreso at Jesuit universities. Cram enough philosophy and argumentative writing classes into a curriculum and you'll definitely see some good discourse.

That said, there are idiots everywhere. And people will always be offended. I, with everyone else, was called all sorts of nasty things in college because I supported the military, etc. I even used to respond by asking those who, each year tried to get a petition signed to close the former "School of the Americas" at Ft. Benning, GA., if they offered scholarships. You'll never get a stronger "you're an idiot" response from a "tolerant" liberal type than by questioning some beliefs. "Well, Manuel Noriega went there, and he was a bad guy and killed people. So if you don't support closing the school, you support killing people" - completely omitting the fact that Amnesty International's propaganda video about the installation failed to mention the tens of thousands of soldiers who have gone through the training there and have NOT become mass murderers. Oh well. You deal with it.

[ShawnLee]

Haha, the School of the Americas is an entirely new political thread to get worked up about. I remember driving past that at Ft. Benning and thinking, "Hmm, that's what all that fuss is about."

[Houdini]

Haha, the School of the Americas is an entirely new political thread to get worked up about. I remember driving past that at Ft. Benning and thinking, "Hmm, that's what all that fuss is about."

Yeah. I've met some "graduates" of the "Western Hemispheric Security and Defense Installation" or whatever its new name is. It's also interesting to read the actual literature from inside the school and see that they don't teach torture, nor do they teach how to massively kill people and target Jesuits, etc. But some left-wing Jesuits lead trespassing protests every year. They're arrested and shipped out, but they keep going back. I believe Martin Sheen goes out with them too.

It's lack of knowledge and understanding and NOT questioning Amnesty International's propaganda that misleads people with good intentions. I also asked one guy if the petition I was supposed to sign was an application. He, with his John Lennon glasses, was pissed, to say the least. There's more to Western security in Latin America than Noriega, who, last I heard, was still in solitary confinement in Miami, and a few stupid people who killed some priests and nuns who were helping the communists in El Salvador during the crackdown. Then again, their acts probably were due to duress and they likely didn't deserve to be killed, but to condemn an important military installation that actually helps bring security to Latin America? Gimme a break.

[ShawnLee]

Well, I respect the protestors, but I can't help but think they're mistaken. I mean, props to them. One of them is a former priest who was a chaplain in Vietnam, and was awarded the Medal of Honor. I have every respect for them, but still, that doesn't make them right.

[Houdini]

Well, I respect the protestors, but I can't help but think they're mistaken. I mean, props to them. One of them is a former priest who was a chaplain in Vietnam, and was awarded the Medal of Honor. I have every respect for them, but still, that doesn't make them right.

Heh, like I said. Good intentions only go so far. I'm all for peace, but I'm not exactly for protesting the military installations that ensure peace.