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Community discusses free speech on campus

By Brian Sobotko '16

Over 50 people filled KJ 102 on Wednesday, April 16 for a 90-minute discussion about free speech at Hamilton. The event, presented by the AHI Undergraduate Fellows and the Days-Massolo Center, asked the questions, “How do we as a college community draw the line between acceptable and unacceptable speech?” and “What forces shape our understanding of appropriate discourse?”

The AHI and the Days-Massolo Center are the two groups whose conflict last semester about the appropriateness of the Real Talk Dialogue Series helped spark the discussion on race that has permeated campus for the last seven months.

The panel, composed of Director of Diversity and Inclusion Amit Taneja, Professor of Anthropology Bonnie Urciuoli, President of the AHI Undergraduate Fellows Dean Ball ’14, Joe Simonson ’15 and Professors of Government Rob Martin and Peter Cannavò, delivered opening remarks before turning the conversation over to those in attendance for a town hall format.

Simonson opened the discussion by explaining that the event was not designed to debate U.S. policy but the more specific issue of free speech on college campuses. He asked, “What does it mean not to tolerate hate speech?” and “Should we be restricting the speech of campus members?” He closed by asserting his own beliefs about what we do if hate arrives on campus. He advocated for “direct conversation and discussion” and explained that “through engagement, not censorship, does a community or society progress.”

Cannavò continued the conversation by asking if freedom of discussion and debate trumps other values. He told a story that would be continually referenced throughout the discussion about a student who, in a Political Theory class, argued against marriage equality. Cannavò emailed the student after the discussion to congratulate him on taking an unpopular stand on a controversial issue; however, Cannavò discussed the internal dilemma he experienced about the difference between advocating that position or a position opposed to interracial marriage. He also referenced the College’s welcoming of political activist Ward Churchill to speak, despite hiscontroversial comments about the victims of the 9/11 attacks in 2005.

Martin continued the dialogue and emphasized that the objective of colleges must be to find the truth. He acknowledged that all free speech comes with some limitations and asked about the logic of those limitations. He also pointed out that oftentimes, offensive speech gets in the way of productive conversations.

Ball asserted that many Americans have taken free speech for granted and have forgotten that it is something that we must continuously discuss. He explained that the AHI asks questions that often do not occur on campus and expressed regret that he has often been labeled as intolerant, ignorant or bigoted for asking certain questions.

Taneja, countering some points made, pointed out that just because we can ask a question does not mean it is worth asking. He stressed the importance of creating an environment in which care and compassion are central. He also emphasized the need for a distinction to be made between dialogue and debate, encouraging dialogue through which one tries to understand someone else instead of trying to win an argument. He conceded that dialogue often creates more questions instead of answering them.

Finally, Urciuoli emphasized that acts of speech do not exist in a vacuum. She explained that statements often exist within a certain context that includes the preexisting relationship people have and where and when they say things.

Following formal remarks, the panel opened discussion to the entire room. For the remainder of the time, students, faculty and staff explained their own views on specific issues discussed. Community members offered clarifications to certain viewpoints and also connected the discussion to the ongoing campus dialogue on race.

Although this discussion reached no definitive conclusion, attendingmembers of the community opened a dialogue that the organizers hope will continue.

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