University of RI Students Duel Over Free Speech

[Rhino]

University of Rhode Island Student Groups Duel Over Free Speech

Friday, April 20, 2007

By Melissa Drosjack

WASHINGTON — Among other rights, the First Amendment protects satire and parody as a form of free speech.

But the Student Senate at the University of Rhode Island appears to have lost its sense of humor when it comes to the campus group College Republicans.

Earlier this week, a Student Senate committee recommended revoking the College Republicans' recognition as a school-sanctioned group because the group refused to apologize for a satirical advertisement that offered a $100 scholarship to a white, heterosexual, American male.

The advertisement ran last November in the student newspaper, the Good 5 Cent Cigar. Forty students applied for the scholarship, but it was not awarded to anyone because it was not meant to be serious, said Ryan Bilodeau, chairman of the College Republicans.

"We intended that the scholarship was a satirical protest on the [University of Rhode Island's] many scholarships based on race and gender," said Bilodeau, a junior majoring in political science and philosophy. "We never distributed the money. They are punishing our expression.".....http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,267383,00.html

[DoctorDoom]

Tch tch tch! Those dumb Republicans! Don't they know that freedom of speech on campus is reserved for leftists and libeRATs?

One DOES wonder about the 40 responses. Are there that many white, heterosexual, American males on ANY campus?

[DeclinetoState]

What would have happened if it had really been awarded?

[BIGIRON]

Im hoping that someday when I retire and get my hands on my parents cash I can do something like this but with another twist. I was an under achiever and a bit of a malingerer in college so I would have the reqs as white, male, c grade average, 6 year plan for a 4 year degree.

[The_Sonarman]

"Freedom of Speech" is allowed on campus only if it's rigidly controlled and approved.

[MrSanity]

I agree with what Ann Coulter said at this year's CPAC: college campuses might as well be the equivalent of North Korea.

Way to go, College Republicans!

Let the PC-IDP crowd reap what they sow.

[DesertFox]

Fie's rich 'n' famous, I'd offer just such scholarships but they'd be in the hundred grand per semester range to emphasize the point.

[ConspiracyBuff]

What would have happened if it had really been awarded?

I know this is an old thread but I go to URI and am a member of the College Repubs. If it had been awarded then supposedly the senate wouldn't have had any objection, according to them. Their issue was that they "falsely advertised" an award that didn't exist and that people signing up for it weren't told outright that it was a joke. Nevermind that the people who signed up understood it was a joke.

Anyhow the decisions by the body to enforce actions because they didn't apologize were all overturned by the President. The Cigar then ran editorials from a couple 'outraged parents' who claimed he did it because he favored Ryan Bilodeau.. WHAM was a bubbling success though, the reactions weren't all that unexpected but the overreaction helped to make it even more recognized on campus.

[DesertFox]

Good show, CB. :claps:

[DoctorDoom]

... people signing up for it weren't told outright that it was a joke. Nevermind that the people who signed up understood it was a joke.Ya gotta understand the liberal "mind". Only thinking people can appreciate humor, and that eliminates every liberal numbwit on campus.

[Beowulf]

I know this is an old thread but I go to URI and am a member of the College Repubs. If it had been awarded then supposedly the senate wouldn't have had any objection, according to them. Their issue was that they "falsely advertised" an award that didn't exist and that people signing up for it weren't told outright that it was a joke. Nevermind that the people who signed up understood it was a joke.

Anyhow the decisions by the body to enforce actions because they didn't apologize were all overturned by the President. The Cigar then ran editorials from a couple 'outraged parents' who claimed he did it because he favored Ryan Bilodeau.. WHAM was a bubbling success though, the reactions weren't all that unexpected but the overreaction helped to make it even more recognized on campus.

:claps:Excellent job, CB! Excellent!