Safety first Our environment, culture, religion, parents and personal experiences influence our thoughts and actions. They shape us to be similar if not the same to theirs. When teens or young adults leave their home and face the world their beliefs are challenged at times. Public Colleges often seem to be a freedom of speech battle ground, with many students wanting their ideas to be heard and respected. Famous 19th century poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes, agrees by saying “The very aim and end of our institutions is just this: that we may think what we like and say what we think”. In recent years’ freedom of speech and press has grown exponentially because of social media. It is extremely important to handle that amount of freedom responsibly because it can turn violent quickly. That is why some colleges across America have tried to keep a grip on freedom of speech to protect every student. College institutions are there to help the students think what they want but not necessarily say what they think, because violence has been mixed in and colleges should focus on student’s security and help students respect one another. To begin, it is important to view freedom of speech in different perspectives. Not only first hand, but also the person or group one is referring. Will they feel threatened; will they feel uncomfortable or will their rights be attacked? For example, politics are a hot topic right now and there are people speaking out from both ends. Those who support the President and his political party have spoken out and supported him. On the other hand, those who believe the President is doing things wrong have also spoke out. It is not surprising that a lot of the protests and movements involve young adults, especially college students. That is because in school we are flooded with so much information. Not only that, but we are challenged by our professors to think outside the box and explain why we do or say certain things. This has led to intense protests on college campuses and even acts of violence. The most recent and explosive act of violence was at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. There was a Unite the Right rally scheduled and there were rumors of white nationalists and
As American universities and colleges grow their demographics, diversity and ideas there is a continued and an accelerated debate regarding freedom of speech within these higher education institutions. College campuses are struggling to simultaneously provide a learning environment that is inclusive to traditionally unrepresented students while also providing an environment that allows for ideas to be challenged and debated no matter how offensive or controversial.
College is a time when most individuals are experiencing major changes and begin to explore new perspectives. The transition in becoming more independent, creating new insights and peer influence are key factors in changing the perspective of an individual. Students are faced with new ideas from their professors, family and fellow peers. Through that acquired knowledge many students decide that they either agree or disagree with the perspectives that they are taught. Allowing the right of ‘Free Speech’ on public college campuses has become an important issue that many public colleges are starting to address. In college students are capable of
“Free Inquiry? Not on Campus” by John Leo is an important essay that shows exactly how important it is to protect people's political views and opinions. In Leo's essay, he elaborates how times have changed and how we live in more of a liberal left-wing society and because of this everyone has to be more politically correct. Leo talks about the social change universities and colleges on how they used to promote free speech, but now are more like the speech police telling us what's opinions you should have on any given subject and any other opinion is considered wrong. Leo gives an example of this and writes “in October 2007, for instance, a student mob stormed a Columbia University stage, shutting down speeches by two members of the Minutemen, an anti-illegal immigration group.The students shouted they have no right to
Freedom of speech is a fundamental American freedom and a human right, and there’s no place that this right should be more valued and protected than in colleges and universities. A college exists to educate and to advance a student 's knowledge. Colleges do so by acting as a “marketplace of ideas” where ideas compete. It is important to be able to compare your ideas with everyone else as it helps to open your mind to other people’s views and can give you a different perception on things. In the article “The Coddling of the American Mind,” Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukiankoff talked about how too many college students engage in “catastrophizing," which is in short, the overreaction to something. They also said that “smart people do, in fact, overreact to innocuous speech, make mountains out of molehills, and seek punishment for anyone whose words make anyone else feel uncomfortable.”(Haidt) Many colleges have the belief that prohibiting freedom of speech will resolve such issues. But instead, colleges should take a different approach on the matter by teaching students how to properly utilize their Freedom of Speech which will help to resolve future conflicts and misunderstandings.
No matter what people do, everybody will have their own opinions on things and will have their ways of how they want to communicate it to other people. The different communications involve politics, problems, religion, talking over the phone, etc. In You’ve Been Warned: Speech Under Fire, it says, “A majority of college students believe universities should restrict which kinds of expression are allowed on campuses”(Robby Soave). There is a lot of talk that happens on college campus’ that offend people and even students believe that we should be limited on the things that they say. Another issue that has occurred with college campus freedom of speech is said by Catherine Rampell when a college professor was speaking of her opinions politically and a student had recorded her in the classroom. That student had posted it on the internet where it had gone viral and even got onto Fox News where they referred to the words she told the students to be an assault. This professor received threats and riots to get her fired which required her to flee her state for safety. When she was teaching her class and claiming her opinions it was obvious that she was a liberal so according to the Knight Foundation Survey, it claims that, “colleges should be able to restrict campus speech that expresses ‘political views that are upsetting or
For centuries Universities have been a place to freely voice your opinion and debate with others. These institutions have been relatively safe harbors for debating social issues and exercising the individual's civil rights. However, current students seem to be the exact opposite, and the constitutional principle of free speech seems under siege. “Colleges and universities in the United States have retreated from strong historical support for free speech, including the dis-invitation of speakers, promulgation of speech codes that prohibit what is deemed "offensive speech," and students protesting the participation of politically unpopular speakers on campus” (Eliott)
Even though freedom of speech can be tricky, being able to excogitate is key to understanding what can be said under the first amendment is key. This will give you more confidence when you're talking about current events, it'll inhibit social interaction, but the biggest reason of all is understanding your rights will keep you out of jail. Even the supreme court struggles to determine what exactly constitutes protected speech. When trying to see if your covered by the first amendment, certain questions have to be displayed. Are we free to say whatever we want? Exactly what is freedom of speech, what can I say, and what can't I say and still be covered by the first amendment? Understanding the dilemma that freedom of speech just like anything
One of the most notable rights stated in our constitution is the right to free speech. That right is engrained in the minds of every American since the creation of America itself, but currently the right to free speech is being tossed aside in the fear of conflict with opposing ideas or offensive content. College universities specifically have taken steps to impede upon this right through speech codes and other acts that restrict the right to speak freely. American’s growing infringement upon the right of free speech in universities is creating a threat to American culture and the principles that it was founded upon; In order for our citizens to withhold their individuality, opinions, and culture free speech must be actively protected.
Under the First Amendment, we as Americans have protected rights known as Freedom of Speech. How I see Freedom of Speech is it gives us the right to voice our own opinions without any retaliation or repercussions. An example in which Freedom of Speech may be utilized is before, during and after a Presidential Election. Many people will have their own opinions about how they see each Presidential Candidate fit or unfit. Alot of times after people exercise this right, Rallys and Protests occur. Unfortunetly sometimes when this does happen, boundaries are overstepped. This can result in threats, crimes, slander ad even people getting
Freedom of speech is a right in the first amendment that is allowed to every person. No matter the age, gender, or race every person has a different way of thinking, and it's a right for them to be able to express it. Freedom of speech means that every person has the right to express their opinion without having to worry about society or the law threatening them.We are all different due that we are individuals that think, express and process in a variety of ways.If people are comfortable enough with each other thoughts why do people despise when we express them publicly, even when an opinion is never right or wrong.What we can say is that today's society has changed what freedom of speech means.We have changed the way we express our thoughts
The words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., spoken forty-three years ago, capture the spirit of the American dream. Since its conception, the United States of America has been the universal symbol for freedom and hope. The five most fundamental freedoms cherished by every citizen are granted in the First Amendment to the Constitution. Among them, Americans treasure the right to freedom of speech above all others. Yet, as we stand here in the birth of a new millennium, this right has become endangered. College campuses across the
Throughout the 20th Century, American colleges and universities gained the reputation of being bastions of free speech and the discussion of ideas. While universities in Europe became less and less free, cowering to political correctness, American universities fiercely debated every major issue that faced the country. Most importantly though, liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, Atheists and Christians, all believed in the spread of ideas, and free expression. However, while our institutions of higher learning remain significantly freer than their European counterparts, that reputation of freedom of speech is in doubt. Students and faculty are increasingly resentful towards anyone they deem to be perpetuating hate speech, a term that has spun wildly out of control. The Framers of the Constitution certainly never wished that their great experiment of a nation would succumb to the suppression of those with unpopular ideas, especially at the places in which children are expected to become adults, and explore new, and often provocative ideas. (I wonder) Whether it 's the 40% of millennials who believe "hate speech" should be banned by the government, the screaming at and uninviting speakers with conservative beliefs, or the fear of speaking out,, the First Amendment is under attack in 2016, but is not yet lost. This generation will have to choose whether or not they want an Orwellian government that dictates what is and isn 't an acceptable belief. The First
In recent years, high schools and college universities have struggled with a variety of free speech challenges, on campus that is. Courts have even been involved on certain issues considering the level of school. Different school levels have a good idea as to what levels of speech are appropriate for students, such as, high school students have more freedoms than middle school students, and college students have more rights than high school students. Not only do campuses have issues on the legitimacy of free speech and behavior codes at some state universities, some students’ take their free speech law to a disturbing abusive attacks on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, and sex orientation. Courts have predominantly held that codes of the campuses are unconstitutional, yet such codes still continue to exist (Schmidt, Shelley, and Bardes 78).
American society identifies itself as a society where freedom and equal opportunity for learning and expressing new ideas are abundant and unthwarted. The free speech principle, or the principle that all speech and ideas should be able to move freely without being impeded on by government or an institution, is a principle American society has taken many steps to solidify and safeguard. Despite our best efforts, differentiating ideas and free speech continue to be segregated in favor of popular opinion especially in higher education. Often times, students along with public speakers and professors are silenced on campus because of conflict with the public’s sentiment. This obstruction of the basic American value of free speech in higher education comes with a detrimental cost to liberal education and the free flow of ideas.
Freedom of speech allows every individual to express their mind about what they wish without fear of the government. It is part of every citizen's right and it cannot be stripped from them. Over the last year there has been a lot of debate about where the line need to be drawn for protected speech. There have been many cases in schools, protests, and workplaces involving the Free Speech. Although it is a right that was created to create a better society many have been using it in as a an excuse to spread hateful speech that targets others race, religion, and sexual orientation. Society is constantly asking where these problems of bad usage of free speech occurs and what is causing it.