Sweeting: Free speech on campus isn’t absolute
By Don Sweeting | DonSweeting.com
Fierce campus debates swirl around the Israel-Hamas war. One of them is a debate about the extent of free speech. Should there be restrictions on those protesting Israel’s military actions or its right to exist? Protesters’ voices vary, with some being pro-Palestinian and others pro-Hamas. Some are calling for a cease-fire, while others call for the end to the Jewish state. Freedom of speech is a precious right guaranteed in our Constitution’s First Amendment. The right to discuss, debate, inquire and even protest on a university campus should be cherished and protected. But are there limits?
When Columbia University President Minouche Shafik started clamping down on pro-Palestinian protesters, students, faculty and a university oversight panel criti...