Top Gun Perfectly Explains Fighting Limited Campus Speech

Published on June 2nd, 2015 | by Keeleigh Utt

Everyone has an opinion, and we are entitled to the right to express it. It’s in the First Amendment: freedom of speech. That is one of the greatest things about our country — that we can speak out, complain, comment, question, and criticize anything and everything we want.

Ha! That’s what we are all about. Freedom and opinions.

Sadly, this kind of activity is rather discouraged in higher education. If you haven’t noticed, maybe you should check out Campus Reform.

Yup, as students, we aren’t allowed to share our thoughts unless we are on the same ideological page as our professors. But some rules are meant to be broken, right?

Free Speech Zones

I don’t know about you, but I love expressing my opinion just about everywhere I go. Because of this, I don’t want to be limited to a “zone”. On many campuses, “free speech” is limited to a specific area, for no reason other than ‘words and ideas may be dangerous.’

I find it laughable that professors and administrators think that words can hurt them. Perhaps they should repeat this nursery rhyme a few times:

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Words are important. Trust me, once you start speaking out about your beliefs, you can get a lot accomplished. Everyone on campus will know who you are.

Flyer distribution request forms

Why does a school need to put a stamp of approval the ideas of its students? Answer: it doesn’t. And it shouldn’t.

No school should be able to tell you when you can or how you can pass out materials. Again, that whole legal rights thing. It’s none of their business, and it’s not like you’re an official representative of the school. They don’t have to worry about endorsing you.

You’re flying with liberty and you don’t need big government as your wingman. Tell them it’s none of their business and to get off your back.

People who are afraid to speak up

Students are afraid to express themselves because of all these silly little rules. No one wants to get in trouble. No one wants to push the boundaries. Everyone just wants to graduate and go to the real world where everywhere is considered a free-speech zone.

This fear causes students to avoid groups or ideas that make waves. We’ve been taught that controversy and questioning isn’t a good thing…and that in itself isn’t a good thing.

Uneducated people

There are videos of college students — literally — signing away women’s suffrage. Not because they are sexist, but because they had no idea what women’s suffrage is. When you rob a campus of plural opinions, students get indoctrinated with ideas instead of being taught how to think.

However, when students are actually shown both sides of things, they finally see the light and it’s the best.

Even when people disagree with your stance, they realize how important that both sides are heard. That’s how you promote tolerance.

So what can you do to stop the speech police and help your peers see both sides of today’s most pressing issues? Fight back.

Students everywhere have taken positive action with groups like Turning Point USA, the Leadership Institute, and Alliance Defending Freedom. So make some noise, don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, and watch your professors’ heads spin.

Tags: activism, campus, free speech