The behavior should be banned on college campuses. These pictures, events and ideas are representing violent, and threatening pictures directed at a specific group of people. Even if the students involved did not mean to send a violent or threatening message, that does not excuse their actions. Schools should restrict certain forms of speech, or conduct that can reasonably be inferred as threatening or violent towards a specific group of people. How ever these restrictions should not restrict an idea that spreads a political or social opinion. For instance, if a student began yelling "kill all the jews" in a court yard, that student should be punished because he is making threats towards a certain group of people. If that same student was yelling "the jewish faith is wrong, believe in christianity" then he cannot be punished because they are expressing a certain idea that is not threatening or violent.
Colorado State was given a speech code rating of a yellow light. The student hand book clearly states its policy on speech and student conduct.
"Bigotry has no place within our community, nor does the denigration of other
human beings on the basis of age, physical handicap, national origin, sexual
orientation, race, gender, or religious affiliation. We do not tolerate verbal or
written abuse, threats, intimidation, violence, or other forms of harassment
against any member of our community. Likewise, we do not accept ignorance,
anger, alcohol, or substance abuse as an excuse, reason, or rationale for such
behavior. All of us who work and live in the residence hall community must be committed
to these principles, which are an integral part of our purpose, values, and daily activities."
- Residence Hall Handbook: Residence Life Commitment to Diversity 10-11
The rules and standards for students that are set in this handbook are reasonble. It prohibits threatening, and violent speech, or speech that is seen as degrading or intolerant of all people. It also prohibits conduct that is dangerous to the student, or other students around them. I would feel comfortable going to a school with a speech code like Colorado State. This speech code still allows students to express political and social opinions, but students can be punished if their speech or conduct is a threat to themselves or the students around them. Reading about this speech code I liked Colorado State more. I would feel safe and nutured on a campus like Colorado State. I would still be able to express my opinions as long as it was not threatening. A speech code like this does not violate any laws, it is protecting students, and maintaining a safe learning enviroment.
Colorado State would disagree with the conduct of the students that had pout black face and white hoods on. That conduct is threatening, and violent, which is directed at african americans. Colorado State would punish these students for their behavior and their violation of the speech codes.
9/11, how it has affected the nation and the world ten years later
I chose to watch the CNN video. The nation is still recovering from the wounds that it suffered during 9/11. The citizens that were in the crowd, were crying, or holding signs that were recognizing loved ones that they had lost in the 9/11 tradegy. People of all nationality's, races, and cultures were at the ceremony, and they too were paying tribute to loved ones that they had lost during 9/11. This tradegy affected the entire world because these atacks were not only an attack on America, but an attack on western civilization, and those nations that wish to progress to a similar status as western nations. The world was shown the hate that existed within the man that orchaestrated these attacks, and the limits that they were willing to go to. These attacks not only united a country, they united the world, under the casue to destroy terror in all nations, to preserve western ideals, and to enhance the progress of all nations.
9/2/2011 Reaction to Students Free Speech Rights
This week in our issues class we studied several Supreme Court cases that regarded the free speech rights of students on school grounds, or during school sponsored events. We studied the tinker case which involved high school students who wanted to wear black arm bands to protest the Vietnam War. The court ruled in favor of the Tinkers, as long as their protest did not encourage violence or start any violence. We also studied the Morse v. Frederick case, when a student was surrounded by school students and faculty, to watch the running of the Olympic torch in Juneau Alaska. Frederick (the student) raised a sign the read "Bong Hits 4 Jesus". The court ruled that the freedom of speech did not protect Frederick’s actions on school grounds, or a school sponsored event. One of the school's missions is to discourage drug use, and when Frederick was surrounded by his fellow students it could reasonably be inferred that he was promoting the use of drugs.
These cases were much more than a simple debate about freedom of speech. The fact that both of these took place under school supervision shed a new light onto the issue of freedom of speech. I believe that so far the court’s rulings have been far and their reasoning’s for these rulings are just and sensible. I believe that there should be some restraints on this first amendment right when entering a school. The schools job is the shape the young and impressionable minds of American society. They are supposed to not only provide the academic knowledge that is required for students to succeed in high school, college, and in their jobs. They also instill the morals of American society into the youth. The use of drugs in the United States is illegal. If drugs are being promoted under school supervision, then that is contradicting the schools mission.
In the Tinker case I believe the court’s ruling was just as well, because the students were not promoting anything illegal, they were merely exercising their freedom of speech, without interfering with the school's mission. If another student that was supporting the Vietnam War wanted to wear a button or something else to support the war he could certainly do so, as long as the protests did not lead to violence, the students were correctly exercising their freedom of speech.
A student’s freedom of speech is more restrictive than that of an adult but it is necessary for the school to succeed its mission of instilling American morals within its students. Between these two cases the Supreme Court was able to find a balance between being restrictive and not too restrictive when it comes to a student’s freedom of speech.
New Wrestling Season
This wrestling season is probably going to be the most competitive, yet successful season of my four years wrestling for the high school. My weight class is surrounded by very talented and competitive wrestlers, coveting the varsity position at 182 pounds. I am not as strong as the other wrestlers in my weight class, but what i lack in brawn, i certainly make up for in brain. I am a smart wrestler and I can outlast many wrestlers that are stronger than I am. This fall I am focusing on building muscle as much as possible for this final season of my wrestling season.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)