Speech Codes

After seeing the pictures of what these fraternities did, it makes me wonder why someone would go along with this. These people should be punished for what they did. Not for the physical harm of what they did to those people, but instead the symbolism that these fraternities were saying. People viewing this party around campus might have felt they were not safe. This would in turn cause a panic throughout the school, which is not needed. The fraternity even went as far to say, “Some even went so far as to simulate the lynching of a member in blackface wearing a T-shirt bearing the name FUBU.” This just shows how their acts could have hurt others safety. Due to the reason of safety, the behavior depicted should be outlawed or banned on campus. School is intended for learning purposes and having this on campus is unacceptable. The only positive outcome of this event is how the Delta Sigma Phi executive said, "We're absolutely disgusted by what we've seen," said Jon Hockman.

Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WMBsO_95JJdVlMahc8ddLurufvYjHokQ8wrVnGAM8xA/edit?hl=en_US&pli=1#

The university that I have chosen under the FIRE database is University of Miami Ohio. This school has moderate speech code tolerance. These speech codes are something that would not affect myself choosing a school. Most schools have a tendency to restrict what someone is allowed say in the interested for an equal and safe public learning environment. As long as the speech codes are not very strict I am ok with that, this is due to the fact that students should be able to say what they want but not to the point where it creates an unsafe learning environment. This school has moderate speech code level. The school has a good balance between what is too strict and what is not too strict. This is reinsuring to hear from being a school I am considering.

Burning the Flag

            Recently in class we have been discussing the issue of burning the American flag. I am personally biased that burning the flag should not be legal. This is due to what the flag stands to me personally. The flag to me stands for freedom but also the people who have lost their lives in wars supporting this county. Burning the flag is showing disrespect to everyone who lost their lives for the freedoms they fought for. I do also believe though people should have a freedom of speech, symbolic or vocal. While I do not approve of burning of the flag, if that is how people want to express their beliefs they should be entitled to do so. 

9/11 Thoughts

Recently in class this week we watched the movie 9/11. 9/11 is a documentary movie about the hijacking of two of the four planes that crashed into the world trade centers. The documentary really shows how the firefighters were put to the test when a situation unimaginable happened. The detail that I noticed about this documentary is how everyone, off duty or on duty, stepped up to try to help everyone in the world trade center. People in the streets were shocked and than were caught running away, but the firer fighters insisted on going up in the tower to try to help those people who were trapped by putting out the fire. Even when faced with the eighty-minute journey to get to the fire, there was no hesitation they all started up the stairs because they wanted to help the people who were trapped.

            After watching the video on CNN reflecting on the past ten years since 9/11, it has shown how strong America has been as a nation. Another article, both links are below, is written by the New York Times on what will be rebuilt. After reading about the memorial that will be put up it is clear to me how much support their still is to this day. The names of the people who died are inscribed on the sides of the fountain. Also, where the names are inscribed the granite is also heated and cooled so in the winter and summer it will remain comfortable. I personally was incredibly moved by the number of people who packed the streets to show their support for the tragic event that happened.

            http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/sept-11-reckoning/viewer.html

http://topics.edition.cnn.com/topics/september_11_attacks?hpt=hp_c2

            One day I hope to go revisit the memorial that has been put up as a way to help show my support. Today after waking up and turning on the television commercials supporting their support and television programs running daily about 9/11. During the football games people from the armed forces and people from the fire and police department would walk out on the field. During half time they would flash a scene of the memorial. It wasn’t until later at night that it has hit me that ten years has already gone by since 9/11. The memorials that were built really impacted me on what had happened ten years ago. After seeing the picture, located below, it showed me how strong of a nation we truly are and how we will continue to rebuild while we remember. 

Source for picture: http://pixdaus.com/pics/NmBdUuF8geXKGz67Zy.jpg

Freedom of Speech

           A students right to free speech should be restricted due to public safety. There are things that should not be restricted. Opinions for one thing should not be restricted. Sharing your opinions in class is encouraged so why should it not be encouraged when you are outside of class. This said there are other ways to express your opinions where it will not be disruptive to others, or put a bad image upon the school the student is attending.

         Making a fourteen foot banner saying “Bong Hits 4 Jesus,” is comical, but not expressing the political view of legalizing marijuana. This was not the proper way of expressing his opinion. To make matters worse, the banner was demanded to put away, though he refused. He stood by the sign, thinking that this was freedom of speech and they could not control it. Being in school, not just on school grounds, caused the school to still be liable for this student and force him to take down the sign. The school wanted the sign down based on the fact that this sign was being broadcasted across the us and reflected a negative image on the school.

         On the other hand, students were protesting against the Vietnam War. They decided to put on a black armband to show their support against the war. This is an example of how freedom of speech is used in a positive way. This was not a threat to public safety and allowed for the students to express their symbolic views in a peaceful way.

         There is no way of drawing a clear line of what is allowed to be said or symbolized based upon your views. I believe that people should be able to express their views when they want as long as it is at the appropriate time and place. Once again what is appropriate to express is different based on the individual person, so it is hard to draw a clear line.