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California College Forbids Passing Out Constitutions...On Constitution Day
http://thefire.org ^ | September 19, 2013

Posted on 09/19/2013 12:52:17 PM PDT by lowbridge

In a stunning illustration of the attitude taken towards free speech by too many colleges across the United States, Modesto Junior College in California told a student that he could not pass out copies of the United States Constitution outside the student center on September 17, 2013—Constitution Day. Captured on video, college police and administrators demanded that Robert Van Tuinen stop passing out Constitution pamphlets and told him that he would only be allowed to pass them out in the college’s tiny free speech zone, and only after scheduling it several days or weeks ahead of time. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has written to Modesto, demanding that the college rescind this policy immediately.

“The video of Modesto Junior College police and administrators stubbornly denying a public college student’s right to freely pass out pamphlets to fellow students—copies of the Constitution, no less!—should send a chill down the spine of every American,” said FIRE Senior Vice President Robert Shibley. “Worse, FIRE’s research shows that Modesto Junior College is hardly alone in its fear of free speech. In fact, one in six of America’s 400 largest and most prestigious colleges have ‘free speech zones’ limiting where speech can take place. This video brings to life the deeply depressing reality of the climate for free speech on campus.”

Van Tuinen began his efforts to pass out the U.S. Constitution to fellow students outside the student center. He reports that after less than 10 minutes, a campus police officer arrived and informed him that any time anything was being passed out on campus it had to be registered with the Student Development office. After unsuccessfully attempting to convince the officer that this would impair his freedom of speech, Van Tuinen went into the student center at the officer’s request.

(Excerpt) Read more at thefire.org ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: academia; california; college; colleges; commifornia; constitution; constitutionday; constitutions; forbids; junior; kalifornia; modesto; modestojuniorcollege; passing
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video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EosaP99J3Z8
1 posted on 09/19/2013 12:52:17 PM PDT by lowbridge
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To: lowbridge

And they wonder why there are militias?


2 posted on 09/19/2013 12:57:19 PM PDT by Viennacon
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To: lowbridge

I imagine copies of Rules for Radicals, the Communist Manfesto and Mein Kampf are acceptable though. After all, it is California.


3 posted on 09/19/2013 12:57:19 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (The time for impeachment has come.)
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To: lowbridge
Upon arriving at that office, Van Tuinen talks with administrator Christine Serrano, who tells him that because of “a time, place, and manner,” he can only pass out literature inside the “free speech area,” which she informs him is “in front of the student center, in that little cement area.”

So I guess that means that outside the little cement pad, the rest of that Bolshevik institution is NOT a "free speech area."

4 posted on 09/19/2013 12:59:29 PM PDT by Timber Rattler (Just say NO! to RINOS and the GOP-E)
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To: lowbridge

but communist manifestos were passed out on may day..


5 posted on 09/19/2013 1:00:08 PM PDT by Farnsworth ("The people have always some champion whom they set over them and nurse into greatness...This and no)
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To: lowbridge

passing out condoms is fine, passing out pot is probably okay, but Constitutions are verboten


6 posted on 09/19/2013 1:01:37 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: lowbridge

If I were a college bound youngster I would definitely go abroad. Like maybe a math or engineering degree from Moscow or Berlin U.


7 posted on 09/19/2013 1:02:17 PM PDT by IDFbunny
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To: lowbridge

The commies will eventually have to be rounded up.


8 posted on 09/19/2013 1:05:21 PM PDT by SpaceBar
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To: IDFbunny

Moscow Polytechnical is looking better and better.


9 posted on 09/19/2013 1:06:48 PM PDT by Gamecock (Many Atheists take the stand: "There is no God AND I hate Him.")
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To: lowbridge

He should have passed out the Mexican Constitution as it would have been more appropriate given the demographics of the region.


10 posted on 09/19/2013 1:07:01 PM PDT by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
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To: lowbridge



11 posted on 09/19/2013 1:07:26 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey ( Un-Documented Journalist / Block Captain..Tyranny Response Team)
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To: lowbridge

i’d keep handing them out. in the location of my choosing.

if they want to arrest me for handing out a copy of the Constitution... on Constitution day... an obvious exercise of my 1st amendment rights, then i’d gladly take them all the way to court

if they can dictate the time and location you’re ‘allowed’ to exercise your ‘right to freedom of expression’... then you have no right


12 posted on 09/19/2013 1:08:18 PM PDT by sten (fighting tyranny never goes out of style)
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To: lowbridge
...he would only be allowed to pass them out in the college’s tiny free speech zone...

"I'm sorry, Mr. Henry, but you can't make that Liberty or Death speech here. See that little plot of grass over there? That's the colony's Free Speech Zone. Try not to abuse it or the King shall hear of it."

Payback time's coming. Hope I'm alive to see it.

13 posted on 09/19/2013 1:09:44 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: GeronL
Wait, What ? They're passing out condoms and pot ?

How come nobady tole me ?

14 posted on 09/19/2013 1:09:52 PM PDT by onona (The Earth is the insane asylum for the universe (yup, I belong))
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To: lowbridge
a campus police officer arrived and informed him that any time anything was being passed out on campus it had to be registered with the Student Development office. After unsuccessfully attempting to convince the officer that this would impair his freedom of speech, Van Tuinen went into the student center at the officer’s request...

...and registered the Constitution with the Student Development office. Which then let Van Tuinen distribute the document to students.

Anything less than that is totally unacceptable.

5.56mm

15 posted on 09/19/2013 1:12:33 PM PDT by M Kehoe
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To: lowbridge

In my day a college kid would have cussed the officer out, continued distributing, and gotten arrested. Ka-ching!

Come to think of it, back then the students were storming the administrative offices of certain CA colleges.

Where are the juvies of yesteryear?


16 posted on 09/19/2013 1:16:36 PM PDT by HomeAtLast ( Get involved. Because you ARE involved.)
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To: Viennacon

What they SHOULD be wondering is why we are not shooting.
Yet.


17 posted on 09/19/2013 1:20:12 PM PDT by Little Ray (How did I end up in this hand-basket, and why is it getting so hot?)
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To: lowbridge

Disgusting. But how many outraged people will do something otherthan stewing in their outrage. It takes action, folks. Call the powers on the various campuses, starting with Modesto. Be polite, but firm. If you are silent, the Left will think that it is okay, and keep on attacking. Don’t make Saul Alinsky smile. Take action!


18 posted on 09/19/2013 1:31:54 PM PDT by oneamericanvoice (Support freedom! Support the troops! Surrender is not an option!)
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To: lowbridge
Needless to say, this communist takeover of American universities first showed its public face in earnest on the Berkeley campus of the University of California in 1964, when Mario Savio held up a sign in Sproul Plaza.

I can't post what it said.

The protests that ensued were called the Free Speech Movement. The rest is history.

19 posted on 09/19/2013 1:33:42 PM PDT by Carry_Okie (Islam offers choices: convert, submit, or die.)
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To: lowbridge
For those who are unfamiliar, FIRE has been fighting for free speech and other constitutional rights on college and university campuses for years, usually with great success.

When necessary they have gone to court, and generally won. No doubt they will have an impact on the Nazi scumbag running Modesto JC.

20 posted on 09/19/2013 1:33:52 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard
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