Fortunately, the founding fathers forgot to include the “no hurt feelings” clause in the first amendment, which is why policies like these almost never hold up in court. But that doesn’t stop campus radicals from harassing any student who stands up for basic speech rights.
Last year, Georgia Tech senior Ruth Malhotra filed a lawsuit against the school for its unconstitutional speech code, which banned speech that was “injurous” or “maligning.” Malhotra believed the code was being used exclusively by gay-rights groups to prevent conservative Christians from speaking. Under Georgia Tech’s policy, accurately quoting a Bible passage related to homosexuality could constitute “injurous” speech.
Even people who support the gay-rights movement can recognize that others have a constitutional right to criticize it. But, for supporting the concept that people are allowed to say what they want, Malhotra received letters and e-mails threatening beatings, rape, and strangulation. Gay-rights activists passed out Twinkies to students on campus, explaining that Malhotra was “yellow on the outside, white on the inside” and “a Twinkie bitch” (Malhotra is Asian). Authorities suggested that she travel with a police escort in case the tolerant crowd got testy. Although the court sided with Malhotra, her experience most likely had a chilling effect on potential free-speech advocates.
It is ironic that, in an atmosphere that supposedly values free inquiry, it can take enormous courage to point out that free speech rights are for everyone. Only years of politically correct brainwashing can explain the widespread belief that “offensive” ideas should be banned.
It is also telling that speech totalitarianism is often embraced by extreme leftists – the same people that demand “tolerance” and “open-mindedness” toward certain favored groups. If these people are so concerned with tolerance, why do they turn into Stalinist oppressors the second someone says something they don’t like?
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