I'm not sure where I stand on this yet; I'll write more tomorrow after a good nights sleep.
So I've had some time to think about it, but it seems to be a relatively tough call. On the one hand, I think that any stifling of someone's right to free speech (especially at a school, where students should be taught to exchange ideas respectfully whether they agree or not) is treading on very very dangerous waters. Just because you don't agree with what someone is saying, does not mean you have the right to keep them from saying it... in this country anyway (supposedly).
But on the other hand, in a public (non-university) school, where there are still young and impressionable kids, it seems like the school should be responsible for the type of environment its students are exposed to. Although I don't agree that marijuana should be illegal in the first place, promoting its use around kids as young as 13 (young freshmen) is irresponsible.
In the end, although I sympathize with feelings to the contrary, I would have to say that he should not have been punished or his banner torn up. He was doing it for attention, but was not hurting anyone, and I can't imagine that he was "inciting" anything more than a few laughs. Simply passing over him with the camera and not putting him on tv should have been enough to dissuade any future shenanigans along the same lines.
Perhaps this was more a case of people's hyper-sensitivity to drug related issues (OMG NOT MARIJUANA!!! I've seen the adverts that warn how recreational smoking in your own home destroys livesssssss!!!!11). It's amazing at how quickly people are willing to trample the first amendment when someone is saying something they are scared of or disagree with.
*sigh* chalk another one up for the witch-burners.
Edit: It turns out that he wasn't even at school at the time... how much more ridiculous is that?
1 comment:
This is a tough call...it isn't completely black or white, but the more I think about what the sign actually said, the more I think it the ruling was bogus.
"Bong hits 4 Jesus" is a antithetical statement. It makes about as much sense as "Delicate Mercy for Satan". And a Bong *can* be used to smoke tobacco or something else that is perfectly legal. You can buy one at the store for God's sakes.
I guess if you go looking for unacceptable material you will find it even in things that don't make any sense, but I think he should have gotten off on a technicality.
Post a Comment