Free speech zone? Funny I don't remember reading that clause in the first amendment. What a crock.
Posted on 08/16/2010 10:53:32 AM PDT by John Semmens
President Obama’s fund-raising visit to the University of Texas inspired a spirited protest by a small group of critics. Lest the President be excessively troubled by the discord of non-universal acceptance, University Police stepped in and arrested the four demonstrators. The four were charged with “abuse of the freedom of speech privilege.”
“University rules require that free speech be restricted to the designated ‘free speech zone,’” explained campus administration spokesman Russell Bowdler. “This is an institution of higher learning. We can’t allow people to say anything they want anywhere that they want, especially when they are disrespecting the President and our government. By making an example of these four we are taking a stand against the anarchy they represent.”
John Bush, one the arrestees and the director of Texans for Accountable Government, argued that “surely our Constitutional right to freedom of speech has to take precedence over the University’s ‘speech code.’ The tiny space designated as the ‘free speech zone’ wasn’t near where the President was speaking and the audience was gathered. If we can’t take our message to where the people are what good can our speaking do?”
Bowdler called Bush’s claim to Constitutional protection “a matter of interpretation. Until someone of higher authority tells us otherwise we will enforce the rules we deem fit for the campus environment. As for Bush and his compadres now having criminal records, well, my heart bleeds for them. If they want to be dissidents then they have to pay the price. After all, I think I heard that freedom isn’t free. Mr. Bush, et al. should consider this episode a down payment on their precious freedom of speech philosophy.”
(Excerpt) Read more at azconserv1.wordpress.com ...
Time to sue the university for violating their first amendment rights. Restricting speech to specific zones; what a crock. How many did they arrest for speaking ill of Bush outside of their designated areas?
FUBO
Calling A.C.L.J....
Calling A.D.F....
Calling F.I.R.E....
Funny how under Bush this would have been “fascist” or “tyranical” according to the left, but I guess it is ok now since they are protesting the chosen one.
The space keeps getting smaller day by day...
satire
Funny! I love SATIRE!!!
:)
Dang. You’re getting really good at this. You almost had me.
**************
Bowdler called Bush’s claim to Constitutional protection “a matter of interpretation. Until someone of higher authority tells us otherwise we will enforce the rules we deem fit for the campus environment...
***********
Well Mr. Bowdler....
You may stand by to learn some manners....
And....
PAY DEARLY FOR VIOLATING THE RIGHTS OF THESE STUDENTS!!
The mark of good satire, of course, being that it is practically indistinguishable from reality.
‘free speech zone,’
I wonder if Berkeley has one of those.
Satire today. Tomorrow, the headline.
If you are going to continue with this please make sure you start your satire with a disclaimer where everyone is sure to read it.
Got me.
Whoa, whoa, whoa...the First Amendment declares freedom of speech to be a right, not a privilege. There are reasonable limits - such as when other people's rights are encroached upon - but it is still a right.
Whoever has been charged and convicted illegally/unconsitutionally, whether the Left or the Right, needs to be compensated and have their record wiped cleaned.
Heads need to roll over this. The legislature needs to be rebuked, and every prosecuting attorney admonished over such a transgression.
Crap like this is why we're in the mess we're in now.
I agree. I don't have time to waste with satire when the equivalent reality is happening every day. Thanks OP for inspiring me to get off FR and do something else for a while.
Free speech zone = intolerant racist zone
Darn it, John - you got me. I even know (or should know) that I need to check the author by now. Normally, you ALMOST get me. This time, you did.
Well played, sir.
I didn't look at the source until I got to that part. Great satire.
I was about to say “What the heck is a free speech zone!?”, John, I really was. Almost got me!
University rules require that free speech be restricted to the designated ‘free speech zone,’” explained campus administration spokesman Russell Bowdler. “This is an institution of higher learning. We can’t allow people to say anything they want anywhere that they want, especially when they are disrespecting the President and our government. By making an example of these four we are taking a stand against the anarchy they represent.”
Jaw...dropping...
Darn you! You got me so bad!
I jumped the gun when I saw the “abuse of the freedom of speech privilege” in the first line. Normally, I read through the article, but I was so mad that I posted anyway.
Still, he beat me.
Next time, John!
Here’s John’s inspiration for his piece....
http://www.thefire.org/article/12151.html
After seeing it, I’m more depressed and angry than reading John’s satire.
Although I love satire, sometimes I worry that the anger that should motivate us to take some action or get more involved is dissipated or substituted with a laugh at reading the satire.
“Free Speech Zones” are common at universities. The idea is that the administration can confine unwanted commentary to a small space somewhere on campus.
The box we are shoved in is getting smaller and smaller. We are living under communists control, both in the private sector and the Government, and there are no laws except those corrupt ones to control the real Constitutional Americans.
They criticized Lincoln for telling funny stories in the middle of the Civil War when thousands were dying. He said, “Were it not for this occasional vent, I would die. I must laugh to keep from crying.”
Real funny but this time satire is not so fake.
An evangelist came to the university I attended and began to preach in front of the chapel. The administration told him he could come back the next day and preach behind the chapel.
Free speech zone? Funny I don't remember reading that clause in the first amendment. What a crock.
Privilege? Privilege?! Last I checked, it was still an unalienable right. Where's the ACLU? That's a rhetorical question.
I noticed the cops arresting John, did not read him his rights, either. WTF?
I understand we need to keep a sense of humor and laugh when we can. But let’s not let that replace or diminish the passion or anger to fix things.
Ah, it just shows my ignorance then. I haven’t been on a college campus in many, many years.
The term “Free Speech Zone” reminds me a lot of the term “Gun Free Zone”. Here is where you can practice your god given rights, and here is where you cannot. Bogus I say!
Ah heck they should be screaming screw that fwording sob commie beeeeatch, may he rot with Mohammed..
After proper training and a waiting period, of course.
Lol!
You’re getting better and better all the time John..
:)
Johh - are you sure that spokesman wasn’t Thomas Bowdler?
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