Leaving my class Wednesday, I stumbled upon quite an interesting spectacle. Three Christian individuals-two of them waving "find Jesus or hell"-themed signs-were at the center of an escalating commotion. Surrounding the "zealous squad" was a crowd approaching 100 students, which was just as vocal in its beliefs. For every comment demonizing homosexuals coming from the squad, the crowd responded with an emphatic, "Homosexuality is not wrong." For every "find Jesus or Perish," responses came in a flurry and ranged from "Are you serious?" to "Shut the f--k up." And when one of the crew said, "New Orleans was no accident," a young Christian broke from the crowd and said, "I am a Christian, and that is not what I believe."
As confrontational as it was, students were speaking out-they were defending their beliefs-and there was never any threat of physical violence. I was discouraged to watch Duke University Police Department quickly end the valuable "uproar" by escorting the squad (all non-students) off campus.
One can never overstate the value of free speech or the cost of its impediment. I realize that Duke, as a private university, is able to decide who is allowed to speak, when and where and did nothing illegal in escorting the squad off campus. But I implore the University to pursue changes in its future responses to such events. In my experience, the Office of Student Affairs maintains a very good, casual policy on free speech, and President Richard Brodhead certainly made a statement by allowing the PSM conference on campus. This freedom, though, has not been institutionalized. It is challenged every day with overly-restrictive tabling and flyering policies and responses to events like Wednesday's. I urge the University to strengthen its commitment to free speech by officially recognizing a visible area, if not the entire campus, where student groups, and anyone else who chooses, can voice their opinions free of applications, seven-day waits and various other restrictions.
Daniel Bowes
Trinity '07
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