Freedom of speech, image by Madelgarius, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Many people grow discouraged at the political swamp in which we find ourselves. I find hope in the stand for human rights being displayed by our college students in their campus protests. I hear echoes of Vietnam War protests, and protests to defend the environment, African Americans, Indigenous people, minorities.
Do you feel the heat of their passion for justice? What I find encouraging is to see college students challenging the establishment, the status quo. These students are demonstrating in support of both sides of the conflict. They are voicing their concern over what they see as injustice in the world stage. They are raising their voices in protests over the way college and university administrations are trying to stifle free speech, especially when that speech does not align with the views of college and university donors.
The student protests have occurred in leading universities, and student newspapers have been very vocal in calling out the heavy-handed suppression of free expression by college and university administrators.
Here is a partial list of grievances against the college and university administrators being vocalized by student newspapers:
- student rights to speak out are being squelched by new and existing policies and university actions
- harassment and doxing of students and faculty that speak out
- the taking of sides in the Palestine-Israeli conflict to please donors
- selective banning of protesting groups
- inviting police on campus and allowing the arrest of students and faculty
- the conflating of antisemitism and pro-Palestinian campus activism in briefings to the press
- universities investing and forming alliances with industries that profit by supplying weapons and logistics to the parties in conflict
A partial list of college and universities with student newspapers holding their institutional administrations accountable in the censorship of free speech includes such high-profile institutions as Columbia University, The University of Michigan, Cornell University, Harvard University, The University of Southern California, and the University of California at Los Angeles.
My post is inspired by this New York Times article.
Kudos to the students and student journalists. See and hear them voice their concerns and stand for human rights. You can almost taste their desire for a better world. Their actions bring shame on those who fail to oppose the undemocratic actions of today’s politicians, pundits, and news media. These student protests supporting free speech give me hope in America’s youth and the nation’s future, they bring me joy.
Well said. AS someone who was in college during the Viet Nam protests your points are well put. The future lies with the youth of today as it did in our youth.
Yes! Students promoting free speech give me hope as well. I also remember with such appreciating the Parkland Florida students who were powerful spokespeople against gun violence. They showed me that there is hope for future generations b/c they showed a lot of courage in stepping up at that painful time. I have much respect for many younger people.