🚀 go-pugleaf

Carl M Kadie (kadie@hal.cs.uiuc.edu) wrote:
: darrenr@arbld.unimelb.edu.au (Darren Reed) writes:

: [...]
: >I guess what I'm saying is, even though the institution has questionable
: >ability to conrol what you say, surely they must have some right about
: >whether or not they wish to be associated with it, even if this means
: >taking measures such as disapproving of certain areas of research.
: [...]

: Universities have proper procedures for indicating their degree of
: support for a line of research. For example, they only give you a
: university degree if you follow the right steps.

Actually, there is also the lynch-mob approach.  Anyone who dares express
an opinion in public that is "forbidden" is all to often subject to the
terrorist mob.  Examples abound, on this campus, an entire 550 student
dorm-tower was once held hostage with impunity.

Here, in PA, and probably elsewhere, student newspapers which say unpopular
things are confiscated and burned -- if nothing else.

However, usenet (using a network designed to survive -- and provide military
communications -- after a nucular war) poses a particular problem.  How does
the fachist mob censor it -- they can't:  posts can be made from secure 
locations in (if necessary) hardened locations.  People used to useing 
violence to censor have a real problem.  (If there *was* to be advertising
allowed, (which I oppose, btw) I suspect that many college newspapers would
fall victim to electronic competitors.)

: I know of no proper procedure for threatening lawsuits or censoring posts
: to Usetnet because the university doesn't like a line of research.

: Here is a excerpt from "Joint Statement on Rights and Freedoms of
: Students", the main statement of student academic freedom in the U.S.
: It is a policy statement, not a legal document, but it has been
: endorsed by most of the major academic organizations in the U.S.:

: ===========================
: B. Freedom of Inquiry and Expression

:   1. Students and student organizations should be free to examine and
: discuss all questions of interest to them, and to express opinions
: publicly and privately. They should always be free to support causes
: by orderly means which do not disrupt the regular and essential
: operation of the institution. At the same time, it should be made
: clear to the academic and the larger community that in their public
: expressions or demonstrations students or student organizations speak
: only for themselves.

:   2. Students should be allowed to invite and to hear any person of
: their own choosing. Those routine procedures required by an
: institution before a guest speaker is invited to appear on campus
: should be designed only to insure that there is orderly scheduling of
: facilities and adequate preparation for the event, and that the
: occasion is conducted in a manner appropriate to an academic
: community. The institutional control of campus facilities should not
: be used as a device of censorship. It should be made clear to the
: academic and larger community that sponsorship of guest speakers does
: not necessarily imply approval or endorsement of the views expressed,
: either by the sponsoring group or the institution.

The question I ask is twofold:

1:  Does the entire campus community have the right to attend public speeches
held on campus in public buildings?  Is it permissable to, say not let 
women attend an event?

[Think carefully folks, because I will then ask the converse!]

2:  Is it permissable to have a gang of hooligans wandering the isles of
a speech so as to intimidate any who may have opposing opinions.  I am 
talking about brown-shirt style intimidation.

What obligation does a university have to enforce the criminal laws of the
Commonwealth or state which it is in?

ED

----
HE, EPRA, OIT & UMass probably don't want to even admit that they even
*know* me, I speak for no one other than myself.