Posted on by Californiacontrarian

Is the A.C.L.U. Right on This ?

“The First Amendment to the Constitution protects speech no matter how offensive its content. Restrictions on speech by public colleges and universities amount to government censorship, in violation of the Constitution. Such restrictions deprive students of their right to invite speech they wish to hear, debate speech with which they disagree, and protest speech they find bigoted or offensive.” This sounds like some right wing group who is p.o.-ed because one of theirs was prevented from speaking at a commencement, like Condoleezza Rice (Rutgers), Ayana Hirsi Ali (Brandeis University), and Christine Lagarde (Smith College). However the above quote is from the A.C.L.U. website. It continues, “Since its founding in 1920, the ACLU has fought for the free expression of all ideas, popular or unpopular. Where racist, misogynist, homophobic, and transphobic speech is concerned, the ACLU believes that more speech — not less — is the answer most consistent with our constitutional values.”

Wow, I am in agreement with the A.C.L.U.! President Trump is also in agreement with the A.C.L.U. on this issue, as on 3/21/19, he signed an executive order requiring U.S. colleges to protect free speech on their campuses or risk losing federal research funding. “Even as universities have received billions and billions of dollars from taxpayers, many have become increasingly hostile to free speech and to the First Amendment,” Trump said at a White House signing ceremony. “These universities have tried to restrict free thought, impose total conformity and shut down the voices of great young Americans.” Under the order, colleges would need to agree to protect free speech in order to tap into more than $35 billion a year in research and educational grants.
Coincidentally, a week or so ago a friend of mine, Randy, returned to his college alma mater in the state of Ohio. Since he is on the board at the school, and contributes more than his fair share to the school, he was able to meet one-on-one with the college president, let’s call him Sandy. Now Randy was a jet-lagged, but this is his vague recollection of their conversation.

Randy asked Sandy if he believed in free speech on his campus. “Of course” replied the college president.” “Then why don’t you invite President Trump to speak at our next commencement?” It quickly became apparent that Sandy was deep in thought as he was caught in a potential dilemma. Should he risk his school’s reputation on a Trump commencement speech? Obviously it would be an honor to have the President speak at his relatively small school’s graduation. At the same time, how sure was he that his graduating students and their families would behave appropriately. Could he risk the same embarrassment that Notre Dame suffered after a number of its immature graduating seniors walked out of a commencement address being given by Vice-President Mike Pence at the South Bend university in 2017? Would his students behave similar to the elitist students from Notre Dame?

Randy said that he could almost read Sandy’s thoughts: “Would my hard working, middle-class city kids behave appropriately and respect both the office and the commencement speaker even if they did not agree with everything he said and stood for? Could I count on them to be courteous? When all was said and done, would I be proud of them?”
After a period of silence, Sandy enthusiastically responded, “That’s a wonderful idea, Randy. I’ll bet that our school’s students and their parents would be honored to have the President give the commencement address. If we don’t ask, he can’t say, “Yes, I’d be proud to come.”

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