Georgetown is one of the worst campuses in the US for free speech
‘Anything less than complete freedom of expression would be a recipe for disaster’
College campuses seem like the ideal environment for free speech to thrive in. Take a bunch of young, energetic, and inspired students and now place them all in one location — anything less than complete freedom of expression would be a recipe for disaster.
The sad reality is though, exercising these rights as students has proven a much more difficult task than our campuses would like us to believe. Using loopholes to create rules that openly restrict these freedoms is not uncommon as universities, “openly suppress constitutionally protected speech on campus by using tools such as speech codes to shut down forms of expression that might be uncomfortable, disagreeable, or even offensive to some members of the campus community.”
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is dedicated to improving these speech codes for students around the country. They released their list of “top 10 threats to free speech on campus”, and as I scrolled past a few schools I did not recognize, one name stopped me that I knew all too well. Sadly our beloved hilltop made the list. For one of the most opinionated and progressive college campuses, what the hell were we doing on here?
Apparently, “Georgetown University has been on FIRE’s radar for years.” Think H*yas for Choice and conflicting Jesuit values. After a particular incident in January of 2014, the anger and disappointment over this clash has only grown. The group was forced to leave their usual tabling spot for one off campus that day.
If H*yas for Choice is made up of Georgetown students who call our campus home, shouldn’t they be able to share their opinions and support a cause they believe in? An astounding four months went by before any true moves were made, and the university’s speech policies were revised. Later though, they were once again asked to move, from the same spot they were asked to move to in January.
Caroline Moley, a dedicated member of H*yas for Choice has much to say on this issue. When asked how she feels about the struggles the group has had to go through on this campus she told us: “I understand that the university is associated with the Vatican, however, sometimes you have to be realistic.
“You have a bunch of sexually active 20 year olds within a small proximity. What do you think they are going to do? And how can you keep them safe?”