CAMPUS

No Freedom of Speech at UMass Amherst

I previously wrote about a terrible case of newspaper theft at UMass Amherst, where copies of the conservative paper, the Minuteman, were stolen right in front of police. The police and administration did nothing to stop or punish the theft, apparently seeing nothing wrong with suppressing free speech.

Well, the story keeps getting worse. FIRE reports that the Student Government Association (SGA) at UMass Amherst, acting with blatant disregard for the First Amendment, has threatened to shut down the paper unless it apologizes to the woman who stole its issues. (She was mocked in the issue in question – apparently the impetus for her juvenile actions.) On top of that, the SGA refused to hear a resolution put forward by a student senator that would rescind the illegal action. The senator was then removed by police after he protested the SGA’s violation of its own bylaws (not to mention the Constitution).

I’ve seen some horrible actions by student governments. In fact, the publication I write for at the University of Oregon, the Oregon Commentator, was almost shut down by the student government in a similar incident. However, this has to take the cake. From the FIRE blog, here is the senator’s first-hand account. It’s long but well worth the read.

The speaker refused to put the bill on the agenda (when he’s not in a position to decide according to our Bylaws). I approached him and he said he took it off because he “didn’t like it.” I explained that that didn’t matter, that it wasn’t in his purview to decide, and he refused to change his mind and put it on the agenda (I had been told that it was on the agenda, and never informed that it was off till the meeting was about to start).

So, I left the meeting and printed it off again and moved “to add a main motion not previously considered to the agenda” [but] the speaker said that it wasn’t a legal bill (even though lawyers signed off on it). I then moved to “overturn the decision of the speaker.” He refused to hold that vote and moved on. I then rewrote the bill taking into account his points, however invalid. I then returned to the Senate and “asked to add a main motion not previously considered to the agenda.” He asked to see it, I brought it up, he looked at it, and he said “NO” and threw it to the ground. I then picked it up and asked to “overturn the decision of the speaker.” He refused to hold the vote (again violating the Bylaws).

I then asked to add it to the agenda again in between every motion, and the speaker refused to say yes or no (again violating the Bylaws). I explained that he had to say yes/no and then allow the Senate to overrule if it felt compelled. He refused. After 10 more questions he told me I was out of line, even though I had broken no bylaw. I then walked up to the podium and asked to add it to the agenda, and he refused to say yes/no and then told me to leave. I then explained to him that it was not in his purview to ask me to leave and the merits of my arguments. He then said I should leave immediately. I explained I would only leave if the Senate followed its procedure requiring the Senate to vote to kick me out. I said barring the Senate voting, “I will only leave if taken out by police.” So the speaker called the police and they escorted me out of the meeting while the meeting was placed in recess. Meanwhile many Senators agreed with me and wanted to hear my arguments. All I wanted was a vote one way or the other. I passed out the sheets I have enclosed [the resolution and his explanation for it] as well as the letter from FIRE (as FIRE asked me to do). The Senate as a whole WANTED to hear the bill.

The police then refused me entry to the Senate meeting. I explained that I was required to be inside and that only the Senate could kick me out. University officials came, Byron Bullock and the RSO attorney, and agreed with my analysis but the police refused me entry three separate times, barring me from voting or bringing this to the agenda.

So that is what happens when you try to stand up for free speech.