Proud of my university!

Excellent leadership!

 

It is sad how little some folks value free speech when they disagree with the message. UF's response was embarrassing and arguably unconstitutional. The goal, of course, in issuing the vague "rules" threatening draconian consequences was to chill speech. I expect they accomplished what they set out to do. But it makes me ashamed to be an alumnus of this university.

News source that isn't Fox News:
UF threatens protestors with campus ban

 

No anti-Israel rallies eh? What about anti-America rallies?

 

Wow, good thing they banned ‘amplified sound.’ Imagine if some poor student or employee were subjected to that. Might never recover

 

I don't see anything wrong with the rules they set out. A lot of these kids are being targeted by our adversaries, which are using our 1st amendment as a weapon to get funding cut from Israel. Notice most of the protests are Ivy League schools, where the majority of our lawmakers are alumni. Calculated, and albeit, kind of obvious.

 

No bull horns? No standing next to a sign?That makes no sense. What is our university coming to?

 

No sleeping on campus? I've done that a million times. No disruption? Very vague

 

No disruption. No threats. Unconstitutionally vague and/or unconstitutional content restrictions. You could tell them they can't disrupt classes. But protests inherently will disrupt somebody. No disruption period is not a permissible restriction.

Similarly, no threats is not permissible either. You can prohibit true threats, but they have a First Amendment protected right to make some "threats." For example, they can threaten the university with a boycott if it doesn't cave to their demands. That's protected speech. They can threaten Israel. That's also protected speech.

Banning chairs and making people hold signs at all times are also ridiculous rules.

Other sources don't frame what UF is doing as a positive like Fox News did.

 

There's no way that our pro 1st amendment members support something like this

 

It's simple to me. As long as it's enforced to protect the entire student body, then fine. Bullhorns (disturbing other students during finals week), weapons, protesting inside buildings, I completely agree there. The signs thing is a little weak unless they mean leaving up "billboards" all over campus.

 

It's a memo, not a legal opinion. I don't doubt there is motive behind the "rules", but the dumb public need them. The alternative is to let these protests start to hurt a place of education, which is not a good thing. USC is already stopping commencement, disrupting possibly a once in a lifetime event for some. It may be legal, but that doesn't mean they should t push the envelope legally to get what they want. Both sides do it all the time.

 

USC is stopping commencement because they're petty children. They got called out for banning the valedictorian from speaking because people were upset with pro-Palestinian posts she made on social media. Then, they banned all graduation speakers. Eventually, they banned graduation entirely. It was a choice from a group of petty jerks.

The memo threatens draconian consequences while offering vague rules that wouldn't be constitutional if enforced as stated. The goal was chilling speech. The alternative was to uphold free speech. The protesters behaved themselves just fine yesterday.

 

Quoting Brene' Brown: clear is kind. For the second time this week I agree w/ gator_lawyer. Set out the rules but make them clear and understandable.

You cannot block buildings.
You cannot protest louder than XXXXX decibels when classes are in session.
You cannot protest after 9pm or before 8am
You leave the area clean of debris or you're fined to clean it up.

Make the rules explicit and hold the White supremacists and the Hamasholes equally accountable.
Next!

 

These measures are sure to persuade the younger generation that they are wrong on the issue

 

I haven't yet been able to read one of the sources. Did UF list consequences along with these rules?

 

Yes. 3 year suspension and trespass from campus for students and firing for faculty or staff.

 

No weapons! That’s a shock

 

Do these people gathering, and getting paid to do so, really qualify as a rally?

I think if you have to pay for these disruptions then you should be held libel for anything (damage or destruction of property, and must pay over-time for cops) that these paid people's create.

The right to protest was never intended to be a business opportunity.