Free Speech

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Freedom, equality, independence, and righteousness are common terms associated with the beautiful country of America. Many immigrants and foreigners have embarked on the journey to reach the beautiful valleys and gardens of a country built on values such as unity and individualism. The statue of Liberty, alone, is the universal symbol for freedom which stands in the heart of New York City greeting thousands of immigrants each year; embodying hope and opportunity for those seeking a better life in America. It stirs the desire for freedom in people all over the world; Muslims in Burma who fall under the threat of extortion, women in Egypt who are not given a voice, or people in South Africa who struggle to live because of ensuing rivalry battles. The United States is a safe haven on its own to millions across the world who are subjected to tyranny or despotism. If America is a place for opportunity and freedom to practice our own rights, then why should our institutions ban such an important emblem like freedom of speech? A quality so inherently important that molds the thoughts and personalities of our own students; the future of America. If our students are subjected to live in fear like the rest of the world, then how is America distinct from the oppressors and wrongdoers? How will our nation's colleges and universities fuel the curiosities of future healers and entrepreneurs without letting them question the status quo and think freely?
In all of our years in school, we, as students have been taught to ask questions and expand our thinking. There are no such thing as stupid questions and we have grasped the idea of self- expression. Students , being teenagers, are the most unstable and emotional of the human subspecies and fin...

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...eges were to abide by the first amendment of the Constitution, they would discover the different pitches and tones that accompany each voice. Instead, some colleges put a ban on what students say or wear. We are no longer in the age of McCarthyism where every aspect of society needs to be censored. Donna Shalala, owner of a Presidential Medal of Freedom, once said " You can't have a university without having free speech, even though at times it makes us terribly uncomfortable. If students are not going to hear controversial ideas on college campuses, they're not going to hear them in America. I believe it's part of their education". I agree with Ms. Shalala, America is a country built on strong principles like individualism. Free speech constitutes individualism. Free speech is a right; not a privilege and colleges have no right to restrict the power of thought.

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