[MD] Free Speech

[Platt Holden]

> [Platt]
> Nice dodge. I didn't ask "would they?" I asked "have they." Anything in
> your college rulebook about "approved" organizations on campus?
> 
> [Arlo]
> They have not, as far as I am aware. And I am not familiar with a
> "college rulebook" of "approved organizations". Can I be any more
> straightforward than that? Should there be college rulebooks containing
> approved organizations? Would YOU forbid an organization from coming
> onto campus? Can you answer that, or will you just keep evading? (Arlo
> thinks he knows)

It took some prodding, but at least you finally answered the question. 
I would certainly forbid Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist 
organizations from campus. Would you?

> [Platt]
> Another dodge. Academe boasts of its tolerance. King would be welcomed
> with open arms on campuses. But, Coulter, Horowitz and other
> conservatives require armed guards to fend off physical attacks. Why?
> 
> [Arlo]
> Not a dodge, unless you are referring to yourself. I answered your
> question. You just tweaked it to make it look like I did not. Sure,
> immoral restrictions on free speech happen on college campuses. Just
> like they happen in public squares on downtown streets. Although I
> disagree with the reaction to these people, you want my honest opinion
> as to why it happens. Because they present no intellectual argument
> whatsoever. They pander to social emotions and fears. They commit
> egregious errors of research, citation and logical progression. In
> short, among a community that has fairly high standards for what passes
> as intellectual discourse, these people try to pass off not only
> unintellectual, but a-intellectual, nonsense as intellectual. So it
> rouses feathers. My personal stance, let them speak, they only prove
> themselves to be fools when they open their mouths. By reacting as they
> do, the university population gives a false "legitimate opposition" they
> do not deserve.

Physical threats and attacks should never be tolerated no matter what 
your opinion of the "intellectual" value of an invited speaker. I guess 
you agree although it takes some digging through a lot of verbiage to 
find out where you stand.

> [Platt]
> Yet another dodge. Does your college have a speech code? If so, what
> have you done about it since you "take free speech quite seriously?"
> Wrote a letter to the school paper? Circulated a petition? Anything?
> 
> [Arlo]
> Despite your insinuations, yes, indeed I have. Recent example, our
> "college preacher", a fundamentalist buffoon who lambasts the kids with
> insipid right-wing inspired rhetoric was asked to "move" to a "free
> speech zone" (conveniently placed far away from the passing hordes). I
> not only wrote letters, but attended a public meeting and voiced
> opposition to the University President. Now, what have YOU done to
> support the speech of people you think are wrong?

Good for you. As for me, I never interfere in a person's right to free 
speech. I never boo, heckle, hum or otherwise make a speaker 
uncomfortable. But I don't go around preaching tolerance like so many 
leftists who dump on Christians at every opportunity.  
 
> Finally, it appears you answered some questions.
> 
> Do you believe there should be any restrictions on who and how groups
> rally, either on or off campus? "No"
> 
> Would you support a neo-nazi, or communist, rally in your town square?
> (I mean support as in allowing it to legally occur). "Yes"
> 
> Should the American Marxist Organization hold a rally in downtown 
> Plattsville, would you protest? "No"
> 
> And let me be more specific, if you were the University President of
> Holden University, would there be _any_ group you would ban from campus?
> "Yes"
> 
> Finally, when the AMO holds a rally and is heckled by right-wing
> ideologues unable to see that they are supporting a system that is
> exploiting them, do you vocally condemn this? Or is it only when
> right-wing groups (whether the KKK or Miss Coulter) get heckled that it
> bothers you? "No"

Who is the AMO?

> To the second to last one, unless I misapplied your answers, what
> group(s) would you ban from campus?

Terrorist groups.