Now don’t get me wrong, I am all for free speech as I believe if we have something to say then we should say it. But there is a line that at some point, especially in specific places, shouldn’t be crossed.
When it comes to free speech on campus, especially when it involves religion, I believe there should be boundaries of what one can say. Yes, this restricts freedom of speech which defeats the purpose of the amendment but this school is not just a place of education but a home for students as well.
There should be limitations of what can be spoken in public spaces on campus such as the pavilion.
It is a place where many students hang out as well as a populated area everyone passes through to and from class. Someone who is shouting out that members of the LGBTQ+ community are wrong or those in organizations such as fraternities and sororities are “sinners” should not be allowed to speak in such a way, especially on campus.
There are many students on campus here that are a part of multiple student organizations, religions, as well as have different sexual orientations. Hearing someone, especially aggressively, speak out about how you are a sinner for basically being who you are and doing what you enjoy is not healthy either.
It is hard enough that quite a number of students struggle with their identity of not only who they are but what they want to be, but being told that what they love to do is making them a sinner affects their mental health even more than it probably already is.
It is also not appropriate to be judging or assuming what people do in their intimate relationships. Shouting out things such as “you don’t see virgin females anymore these days” or “there are only flames in hell along with weed smokers and those who have pre-marital sex” is crossing a line as well.
There is no point in denying that we are college students, there is most likely going to be a time when curiosity or hormones hit and the deed gets done. Why judge thousands of college students for living their lives? Again, free speech is okay and preaching the “Word of God” is also okay, but when it comes to speech, especially on campus, there needs to be boundaries of what can and cannot be said.
At the end of the day, this school is not just a place of education but also a home to students.
