Table of Contents
‘Obsession’ Screening at Michigan State to Proceed
Thanks to FIRE’s intervention, Michigan State University will provide free security for tonight’s screening of the film “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West,” hosted by the campus chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF). The university originally said that YAF would have to pay the overtime wages of any officers assigned to the screening or would incur extra fines if officers responded to protests that broke out at the screening. FIRE wrote to Michigan State on March 16 to stress that holding students responsible for security costs affixes a price tag to controversial expression, encourages other students to threaten violent action, and chills speech on campus because students not able to pay for added security will be forced to cancel their events. FIRE cited the Supreme Court’s unequivocal decision in Forsyth County v. Nationalist Movement (1992) that “[s]peech cannot be financially burdened, any more than it can be punished or banned, simply because it might offend a hostile mob.” Thankfully, FIRE’s intervention led Michigan State to provide security guards at no charge to YAF, allowing the screening to proceed. FIRE will further press the university to reform its security policy so that it cannot be used to discriminate against groups on the basis the content of their expression.
Recent Articles
FIRE’s award-winning Newsdesk covers the free speech news you need to stay informed.
Should the First Amendment protect hate speech?
In America, hate speech is generally protected by the First Amendment. But should it be? Today's guest is out with a new book, "." W. Wat Hopkins is emeritus professor of communication at Virginia Tech, where he taught communication law and...
Here’s what students need to know about protesting on campus right now
As Israel/Gaza campus protests spread nationwide, FIRE answers questions about students’ expressive rights.
Kansas takes a stand for intellectual freedom
Kansas enacts FIRE’s model Intellectual Freedom Protection Act, which prohibits mandatory statements on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and all other political litmus tests.
FIRE joins animal advocates, free speech groups urging Ninth Circuit to affirm ruling that allows undercover audio recording
Secret recordings are essential to news gathering, exposés, say advocates in Project Veritas case.