Los Angeles Pierce College Believes Free Speech Should be Limited to a Very Small Campus Space

Last updated on: October 30, 2017 at 10:54 pm by Mark Meckler

Los Angeles Pierce College Believes Free Speech Should be Limited to a Very Small Campus Space 2017-10-30T22:54:42-06:00 Mark Meckler

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Screen Shot 2017-10-30 at 11.38.53 PM

California used to be synonymous with freedom. Not anymore.

A couple of years ago, Los Angeles Pierce College student Kevin Shaw was handing out Spanish-language copies of the U.S. Constitution along the main walkway on his college campus. He was also trying to get people to join his group, Young Americans for Liberty. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education explains that things didn’t go as planned for Shaw:

Shortly after he began, a Pierce administrator approached and told him that he could not distribute literature outside of the “free speech area,” an ironically named zone roughly the size of three parking spaces on Pierce’s 426-acre campus. Shaw was also told he would have to fill out a permit application to use the free speech zone, or else he would be asked to leave campus. Outside of the free speech zone, Pierce College students are prevented from engaging in expressive activity across more than 99% of their campus.

On March 28, 2017, Shaw filed a lawsuit challenging Pierce’s free speech zone as well as the requirement that students get permission before speaking or distributing literature on campus. Since Pierce is one of nine campuses in the Los Angeles Community College District, Shaw’s suit also challenges a district-wide policy requiring each campus to designate free speech zones. On October 24, 2017, the Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest in the case arguing that, based on the facts alleged in the lawsuit, Pierce and the District’s policies and practices violate students’ First Amendment rights and denied Shaw “his right to engage in expressive activity in a public forum.” The lawsuit has the potential to affect the free speech rights of the more than 100,000 students in the District, which is the largest community college district in the country.

Since when, in this nation, do we need a “free speech zone?” Isn’t the whole country supposed to be a free speech zone? And isn’t it ironic that Shaw was handing out copies of the Constitution when this whole problem erupted?

I love the “free speech area” sign, which even indicates you have to get permission to even use the space.

In L.A., I don’t think “free” means what it means in the rest of the country. Watch FIRE’s video on the case below.

Image Credit: Screen Cap

Hat Tip: FIRE

Uncategorized

Previous Post

October 30, 2017

After the 'Take the Knee' NFL Controversy, Missouri College Creates a Mandatory Class That'll Make Libs' Heads Spin

Next Post

October 31, 2017 Did the Kent State Socialist Group Reveal Their True Colors When They Said Conservative Belongs in Gulag?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the first woman created by God?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Sarah Eve Mary Rebekah