Free Speech

According to the First Amendment, we are free to communicate by speech, writing, and print. Since then, acts of freedom of speech that were a big deal are 'On Liberty', an essay by the philosopher John Stuart Mill, argues for toleration and individuality in 1859. In 1929, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, of the US Supreme Court, outlined his belief in free speech. In 1960, Penguin won the right to publish D H Lawrence's sexually explicit novel, Lady Chatterley's Lover, after a trial at Old Bailey. In 2001, after 9/11, the Patriot Act gave the US government new powers to investigate individuals suspected of being a threat, raising fears for civil liberties, and in 2004, Dutch film maker, Theo van Gogh, was killed after the release of his movie about violence against women in Islamic societies.
We have the right to free speech, yet we are ridiculed, punished, or left with consequences when we express our opinions. A perfect example of this was seen at a Fresno State versus Boise State football game held in Fresno, California on September 19, 2009. Several Fresno State students wore black shirts to a white-out game, on the front were the words “got water?” and on the back “Go Dogs!” , they also held up signs with “got water?” in support of the west-side famers who are struggling for water. Officials kicked these students out of the game for signs being of political nature, which is a violation of University rules, but the students reported all they had were their shirts and signs. However, a sports columnist that also wrote on the issue said it is impossible to separate sports and politics and this is an issue that affects all of us. A perfect example is Fresno State's starting quarterback, Ryan Colburn, who grew up driving tractor on his parents’ farm. Most of these students were members of AGR, the Agricultural Fraternity on the Fresno State campus, and others have family that farm in the area.
Opinion writers made a good point that a state funded school hosting a state funded event has state funded security employees take students who get good grades and are supporting their school at the event, out of the game for supporting their state famers, friends, and parents. The writer also says college is the place to learn, think for ourselves, and form our own opinions. This is exactly what these college students were doing.
Women used the right of free speech to make their point that they too deserved the right to vote. How is a student going to explore and find their standing in this place if they can’t even express their opinions freely? Free speech needs to be free. No consequences, no strings attached.


http://fresnobeehive.com/opinion/2009/09/football_and_free_speech_cant.html
http://www.fresnobee.com/953/story/1649315.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/feb/05/religion.news