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The 'Right' To Disrupt Free Speech On Campus -- It Doesn't Exist
Forbes ^ | January 5, 2018 | George Leef

Posted on 01/05/2018 8:33:35 AM PST by reaganaut1

When students (and others) disrupt events where speakers are trying to make arguments they dislike, they always say that their conduct is justified.

Most commonly, the disrupters maintain that they are merely preventing “hate speech,” which allegedly doesn’t enjoy the protection of the First Amendment. Therefore, they are perfectly free to keep speakers they oppose from being heard. In fact, they say they’re acting righteously, by protecting against speech that supposedly leads to violence or oppression.

Student zealots, such as those who prevented University of Oregon president Michael Schill from giving a speech, believe that. So, evidently, do some college leaders, as we read in this article.

Their argument, however, suffers from two fatal flaws.

The first flaw is that the First Amendment contains no exception for “hate speech.” It reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Nothing in that language suggests that government officials are entitled to make an exception for speech they regard as hateful.

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: 1stamendment; academicbias; antifa; censorship; college; education; hatespeech

1 posted on 01/05/2018 8:33:35 AM PST by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1

1st off: 1A applies to CONGRESS, not states, or people, or colleges, or businesses. They can curtail “speech” if they want. So much of this is moot.


2 posted on 01/05/2018 8:37:08 AM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs.)
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To: reaganaut1

There is NOTHING subjective about our Constitution. The courts need to be DRAINED of America-hating leftists who think otherwise.


3 posted on 01/05/2018 8:37:36 AM PST by EagleUSA
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To: reaganaut1

This is also why “hate crimes” are a crock of sh!t.


4 posted on 01/05/2018 8:40:00 AM PST by Pietro
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To: the OlLine Rebel

The First Amendment applies to all levels of government in the United States because the First Amendment has been legally incorporated.

See this explanation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incorporation_of_the_Bill_of_Rights

So it is NOT ‘moot’.


5 posted on 01/05/2018 8:45:18 AM PST by MeganC (There is nothing feminine about feminism.)
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To: reaganaut1

These conservative students need to step up with bigger bullhorns and lawsuits if they want to be heard. Else they will grow up to be timid flinching Republican.

When it comes to citizen vs citizen free speech doesn’t exist as a right you either shout and screen or get marginalized by others.


6 posted on 01/05/2018 8:47:17 AM PST by Fhios
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To: MeganC

That may be, but in truth, just as with other judicial overreaches, the Constitution is plain as day.

So, when are all the porn laws going to be struck down?


7 posted on 01/05/2018 8:47:53 AM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs.)
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To: the OlLine Rebel

“So, when are all the porn laws going to be struck down?”

Most of them have been.


8 posted on 01/05/2018 8:49:04 AM PST by MeganC (There is nothing feminine about feminism.)
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To: the OlLine Rebel

So a public school singing Christian hymns, with a Virgin Mary icon on a teacher’s desk or having a pregame prayer is also moot for 1A. It’s not Congress.


9 posted on 01/05/2018 8:50:01 AM PST by polymuser (Its terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged today. - Chesterton)
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To: polymuser

Yes.

They could ban it if they wish - and Lord knows they have with no trouble.


10 posted on 01/05/2018 8:51:52 AM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs.)
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To: reaganaut1

With all the deserved criticism of Jeff Sessions and his recusal on all matters related to Hillary, it’s worth noting that Jeff Sessions has done well defending free speech on campus.


11 posted on 01/05/2018 8:55:35 AM PST by FreeReign
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To: MeganC

It is not an exercise of free speech to yell “FIRE!” in a crowded theater, unless and of course, there actually is a fire.

Even when said fire is emanating from a pantsuit made from a Kirby vacuum bag.


12 posted on 01/05/2018 8:58:54 AM PST by Cletus.D.Yokel (Catastrophic, Anthropogenic Climate Alterations: The acronym explains the science.)
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To: reaganaut1

As usual, conservatives were right. When the concept of “hate speech” was initiated by the Leftists, conservatives said it would be used against anyone who disagreed with the Left. Bingo! The Supreme Court should squash this ridiculous notion that freedom of speech should be attacked in this unconstitutional way.


13 posted on 01/05/2018 9:08:15 AM PST by txrefugee
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel

This has nothing to do with the fact that the First Amendment does indeed apply to all levels of government, including public colleges and universities.


14 posted on 01/05/2018 9:32:33 AM PST by MeganC (There is nothing feminine about feminism.)
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To: reaganaut1; All
Thank you for referencing that article reaganaut1. Please note that the following critique is directed at the article and not at you.

The real problem concerning state disrespect for constitutionally enumerated protections imo, particularly 1st Amendment-protected free speech and religious expression in recent examples, is this.

Although the states have expressly constitutionally given Congress the specific power to strengthen constitutionally enumerated rights where state abridgment of those rights is concerned, the corrupt, post-17th Amendment ratification Congress left over from the lawless Obama Administration has stubbornly chosen to remain silent while some states abridge those rights.

The only remedy for Congress is for patriots to finish the job that they started when they elected Trump president in 2016.

More specifically, it’s entirely up to patriots to clean up Congress by now making sure that there are plenty of Trump-supporting patriot candidates on 2018 primary ballots, and pink-slip career lawmakers by sending patriot candidate lawmakers to DC on election day.

And to make voter efforts in cleaning up Congress, along with Trump’s vision for MAGA, as permanent as possible, patriots also now need to be working with their state lawmakers to support Trump in leading the states to repeal the 16th and 17th Amendments.

But until 17th Amendment is repealed, as evidenced by concerns about the integrity of Alabama's special Senate election, patriot candidates need to win elections by a large enough margin to compensate for possible deep state ballot box fraud and associated MSM scare tactics.

15 posted on 01/05/2018 9:43:35 AM PST by Amendment10
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel

“Even when said fire is emanating from a pantsuit made from a Kirby vacuum bag.”

You just made me snort coffee through my nose. Outstanding!


16 posted on 01/05/2018 1:12:32 PM PST by Noumenon (Irony: Those who tell us we don't need a border wall whIle living in gated communities.)
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To: EagleUSA

America needs to be purged of America hating leftists.


17 posted on 01/05/2018 1:15:03 PM PST by Noumenon (Irony: Those who tell us we don't need a border wall whIle living in gated communities.)
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To: MeganC

Chittenden County (VT) State’s Attorney Sarah George would disagree. This precious little progressive snowflake saw fit to prosecute a case against a University student overheard disparaging his school’s diversity programs on a phone. At least we have one judge left with some knowledge of our Constitution.


18 posted on 01/05/2018 4:43:24 PM PST by GreyHoundSailor
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