Freedom? What Freedom?

By Ryan D. Gorsche | Thursday, October 23, 2003

Alex Tonelli '04 penned an op-ed in The Dartmouth demanding that the College revoke their speech codes?implicit within their actions?or acknowledge that protecting open discourse isn't on the administration's agenda.

Shortly thereafter, Henry Shi '03 responded, saying that Dartmouth had no constitutional requirement to honor free speech—a point Tonelli already mentioned—and that, "It is also an institution with a less-than-glorious past when it comes to racial and cultural sensitivity—perhaps it is fitting and proper that the administration act to make Dartmouth a more welcoming place for all people."

Put the Lincoln Logs away, Mr. Shi, nursery school is over.

Students don't come to Dartmouth to be welcomed; they come to get an education. And an education means challenges. And unrestricted free speech is a necessity for challenging ideas. Any student enrolled in a class in the religion department will find their faith challenged. The campus anti-war rhetoric forces students with pro-war beliefs to reevaluate their arguments. Every day at lunch, the resident Deaniacs—unfurling their "Doctor is IN" poster from Food Court balcony?challenge my disdain for all things Dean. The result is that students' ideas are finely tuned and well crafted or put aside for something better. That is to say, the students learn.

Likewise, college professors are granted tenure so they may teach without fear of retribution for their ideas and speech—though it often appears only to give them carte blanche to crack-wise about the Bush administration. But if professors are to teach anything at all, and if students squeeze any knowledge from their classes, free speech must be honored.

The fact that Mr. Shi and students like him are prepared to jettison academic freedom and free speech for "sensitivity" and "welcoming" is irritating. If "welcoming" is your goal—though a rather lame one—restricting speech that does not fit the guidelines of a self-imposed arbiter of offensiveness is unhelpful. it's rather odd that a "welcoming place for all people" chooses to discriminate against those who speak their mind.

That Dartmouth is willing to erase free speech is frightening. As an academic institution it is imperative that freedom of discourse not merely be tolerated; free speech must be promoted. That the school claims to respect free speech, while stymieing efforts to promote opinion and ideas—be they liberal or conservative—the college is not only being disingenuous, they are endangering the very nature of this institution. And the nature of the institution shouldn't be tarnished because nine lawyers in Washington handed the administration a blank check for oppression.

Tear up that check, President Wright. End Dartmouth's assault on free speech; make Dartmouth a campus that truly welcomes all students—by defending their right to speak their minds.

Freedom? What Freedom?

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