Suppressing Speech On Campus Hurts University's Prestige

For the sake of diversity, the University of Florida threw water on free speech.

For the sake of political correctness, the university demanded an apology from students who posted fliers about a movie on radical Islam.

Now for the sake of the university's reputation, Patricia Telles-Irvin, the overly sensitive vice president of student affairs, should go.

For almost a month, the Gainesville campus has been rocked by controversy over the film, "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West."

UF President Bernie Machen says Muslim students feared for their safety after fliers were posted about the film. The flier's headline screamed "Radical Islam Wants You Dead."

In response, Telles-Irvin sent a finger-wagging e-mail to all university students. "In an academic setting," she said, "differences of opinions are strongly encouraged, yet such opinions must be based on accurate information when describing other members of the community."

She said the event's organizers owed the campus, especially members of Muslim faith, an apology.

But what would Telles-Irvin have the group apologize for? The headline was provocative, no question, but it was true. This nation is at war with radical Islam.

Certainly the vast majority of Muslims are good and decent people who abhor the violence embraced by some radical elements in the Islamic world. It is unfortunate that some bad actors would hijack this great faith - which values peace, hard work, charity and compassion - to support their jihad against Americans. But their existence cannot be denied.

Universities are supposed to be paragons of free expression, places where people can debate difficult issues without fear of reprisal. Indeed, the rigor of such exercises helps students develop critical thinking skills.

Yes, the university should create a safe environment where people with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints can learn without harassment.

But it's dangerous to suppress speech that is neither inaccurate nor an imminent threat to anyone.

And it's distressing that a vice president would so easily sacrifice a protected constitutional right for the sake of diversity.

Law professor Steven Willis, faculty advisor for the Law School Republicans, who sponsored the film, clarified her lapse in judgment.

"Your arguments about 'diversity' and 'responsibility' and 'divisiveness' are irrelevant to that fundamental issue: The actions are protected speech and you have no right - in your "official" capacity - to censure them, either before or after the fact. Indeed, you have the obligation not to do so," he said.

Machen didn't help the university's cause in his letter to state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner. In it, he said, "As educators we must speak up when the debate is inaccurate or when students do not feel safe on campus ..."

So does the university administration believe a flatly true statement creates a threat? If not, is Machen suggesting that diversity trumps truth-telling at the University of Florida?

Suppose this were another day and the posters read, "Aggressive Nazism Wants You Dead." Would Machen deny the truth of the statement? Would he give German students the right to silence others because it made them uncomfortable?

In the weeks after this dust-up started, Telles-Irvin tried to address the "misunderstanding" in a second e-mail to students.

"The original intent of my e-mail was to foster greater understanding and communication among groups," she wrote. "As we all surely know, free speech is a cherished right not only in this country but also on this campus. We should always feel comfortable expressing our diverse opinions."

The word "disingenuous" does not do this drivel justice. She should be replaced.