TO THE EDITOR:
What happened during former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo's R-Colo. speech was unfortunate" and the details are still coming in. But a violation of free speech it is not.
The First Amendment states: ""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.""
The First Amendment protects us from government censorship. It doesn't protect us from the media"" protester disruptions or anything else.
Throwing around the term ""free speech"" like it's a license to say whatever you want" whenever you want with the guarantee that you will be heard shows a lack of understanding of this great and unique law.
Call the protest obnoxious if you like. Call it an affront to civil discourse even. But a violation of anyone's free speech other than the protesters?
Not quite.
Kavita Pillai
UNC '07
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893.
Friday, May 3, 2024
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