The Founders of this nation saw the ability to speak and worship freely as a natural right protected by the First Amendment. Yet, in our own communities, we are being forced to limit what we can say based on where you are standing.
The free speech zone at Pierce College is a literal representation of how rights can be limited and controlled on a college campus.
When you are in public, it infringes upon fundamental rights to limit free speech to a confined space.
The free speech zone has become a point of contention since Pierce student Kevin Shaw, who recently sued the college, stated that the Free Speech Area was too small and restricting. One would think that the college would have either adjusted or gotten rid of it to save hassle, but there it stands unbreakable.
The free speech zone is a 616 square-foot area located on The Mall, and composes about .003 percent of a 426-acre campus.
Since free speech falls under the First Amendment, one would think that college campuses would hold it to a high standard and encourage the students to have opinions and speak their minds.
College is supposed to be about where you find yourself and develop the interests that will make one into the adult they are meant to become. But, without a free range of information, how can one truly assess the world?
When you infringe on rights, you aren’t advocating for a full educational process for the community. Instead, you are giving the community a mildly censored version.
Free speech should be looked at as one of the most important tools for not only college students, but people in general. Without this freedom, censorship could completely brainwash society.
Free speech zones should be abolished on college campuses. Let people in the world choose and learn for themselves.
