"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances," states the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
By incorporating these rights in the Constitution, our Founding Fathers were attempting to protect the American people from the "tyranny of the majority" and ensuring that everyone's interests and beliefs be heard.
Recent negativity in student expression has led people to question the true implications of the First Amendment. An editorial in the Colorado State University (CSU) student paper, the Rocky Mountain Collegian, read simply, "Taser this...F--- BUSH." The editorial caused quite an uproar on the CSU campus and offended many people.
In days following the editorial's publication, CSU Campus Republicans, among others, called for the removal of
J. David McSwane, the paper's editor-in-chief, over his decision to print the editorial.
The First Amendment guarantees U.S. citizens the rights of freedom of speech and freedom of the press. But what exactly do "freedom of speech" and "freedom of the press" mean? Was McSwane within his rights to print an editorial profaning the president?
In my opinion, yes.
However, I would consider the bigger question to be one of morals and ethics. Just because you can say something or print something, should you?
While I am definitely not a fan of President
Bush, I believe this editorial was unnecessary. McSwane was irresponsible and immature to use profanity when he could have just as easily expressed his opinion in a less shocking manner.
However, the editorial was refreshing, in a way, as it sparked conversation and debate about freedom of speech; it got people thinking. The four-word editorial has undoubtedly had a greater impact than any other piece the paper has ever printed.
People tend to overlook typical editorials, scanning the newspaper for more interesting stories. In reality, though, this defeats the point. Editorials are meant to make a point and provoke thought. If no one reads them, this objective is not accomplished. Like it or not, McSwane's controversial editorial has surely prompted many CSU students to begin reading the Collegian's commentary section on a daily basis, which is a wonderful exercise.
People must simply accept that they will never see eye-to-eye with each other on everything; other people's opinions and remarks will sometimes prove upsetting. Despite the way it sounds, this is a magnificent prospect.
A world without debate would not be very interesting. We learn from each other's viewpoints and society is moved forward through collaborative thinking and collective ideas. So, listen to what other people have to say and share your own thoughts and opinions. Freedom of speech is a beautiful thing and everyone should embrace it.