Sunday, February 28, 2010



UC San Diego threatens to punish students for protected speech

More trouble from imitating blacks:
"The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and its student government have violated the First Amendment by freezing funds for 33 student media organizations, dissolving the student-run television station, and threatening to punish students involved in a controversy over a party invitation for an event called the "Compton Cookout."

Student government president Utsav Gupta has explained that his repressive actions were due to "fracturing of the student body on an issue" and "hateful speech." Further, under pressure from state legislators who seek to punish protected speech, UCSD has launched "aggressive investigations" into the party invitation. After many students came to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for help, FIRE has written two letters to UCSD defending the First Amendment both on and off campus.

"UCSD is detracting from its message of moral outrage by committing so many violations of the First Amendment," said FIRE Vice President Robert Shibley. "UCSD now must undo the damage to free speech and resist the pressure to punish protected expression."

The invitation for the February 15 party, which first appeared on social networking site Facebook, celebrated racial stereotypes, asked female partygoers to dress as "ghetto chicks," and invited partygoers to "experience the various elements of life in the ghetto." The party reportedly was a DVD release party organized by "Jiggaboo Jones," an African-American "shock jock"-style performer whose persona relies on deliberately provocative and offensive expression. Members of UCSD fraternities reportedly were involved in organizing the event.

Last week, several members of the California State Legislature called for the investigation and punishment of those students involved. Among the elected officials urging punishment for protected speech were Speaker-elect John A. PĂ©rez, Speaker Karen Bass, and most of all Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III, who "want[s] names" and suspensions or expulsions. UCSD did not rule out punishment and has announced "aggressive investigations" into possible disciplinary violations.

FIRE's letter today to UCSD Chancellor Marye Anne Fox points out that the investigation of protected speech is likely a violation of the First Amendment rights of those investigated and urges the school to announce that it will never investigate protected speech...

Source

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, it's the Peoples Republic of Mexifornia, what would you expect?

Aren't these the same commies who run around whining about peoples right to free expression?

Anonymous said...

"We can evade reality, but we cannot evade the consequences of evading reality."
Ayn Rand

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

[sarcasm] Remember that the constitution is a living document, subject to reinterpretation on the feelings and whims of those in power or for what is currently popular.

Anonymous said...

Jon,

If i were you I ditch the comment made by anonymous just above this one.

The Lunatic are out.

Full moon??

Bobby said...

F-ck UC San Diego, I hope the Compton Cookout people sue and win.

Anonymous said...

This place is getting weird!

Tarkus said...

This place is getting weird!

Getting weird? Where have you been? This place has always been weird. Full of right wing wackaloons. Enjoy the show!!!

Bobby said...

I'd like to ad that those funds UC froze came from the students since most schools have a mandatory activity fee that funds those programs. Thus, if the school wants to freeze them all the students should get their money back.

Anonymous said...

This place is weird to any liberal, they don't understand or want true freedom of expression. They want to control your life, what you say, what you eat, what you drive, what you watch etc. . Word to the lefty kooks, MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

Anonymous said...

This place is weird to any rational person.

Anonymous said...

Sigh. I wasn't a party animal in college. I spent most of my time learning, studying, and hanging out with friends doing innocuous things. Students today have way too much free time, too much disposable money, and no moral grounding. Sigh.

Bobby said...

It's not that college students have too much free time, it's how they spend that time that matter. Some people say you're supposed to study 2 hours for every hour of class you take, well, not everyone is doing that.

Anonymous said...

I have a question.
I have no problem with the invitations - I just wonder...
what is it about the invitations that make it 'protected speech' and how is 'protected speech' different from 'ordinary speech'?