Free Speech On Campus

2 Pages 609 Words

“Free Speech on Campus”, by Nat Hentoff provides an overview of the first amendment from one school to another. Throughout the story Hentoff uses examples such as fliers, professors, guest speakers, and many other devices to convey his point. Hentoff states, “how are they going to learn to identify and cope with them”, this dealing with the protection of students from bad ideas. Hentoff feels that the problems with free speech expand beyond this one issue and also has to do with freedom of inquiry, action, and religion on campus as well. Even thought there are many attempts to protect students from free speech on campus, organizations are wrong for doing so. These attempts to protect are taking away our first, and most important right freedom of speech.
The first amendment of the constitution states, “Congress must not interfere with freedom of religion, speech or press, assembly, and petition” (Bailey and Kennedy VX). This amendment is not limited to just whites or blacks; as long as a person holds residency in the United States, they have the rights stated in the first amendment. To take away this right is to take away our self expression, this expression is on of the many reasons people fled to the United States. However this expression is not limited to just free speech. This expression allows Jews to be Jews, openly, Muslims to be Muslims, openly, and so on. Yet, there are people in this country who abuse this right.
Although freedom of speech and other rights we have due to the first amendment should not be harmed, there are people and groups in out country who abuse these rights. For example the Klu Klux Klan (KKK), this group began to gain popularity in the 1860’s. If it was not for the first amendment groups like the KKK would not exist. Yet because they have the right to free speech, assembly and practice there is nothing that can be done. In response to the KKK many other groups similar in nature began to gain...