GREENVILLE After a lengthy debate, the state Assembly recently adopted the Campus Free Speech Act. The bill, which I co-authored with Rep. Jesse Kremer, R-Kewaskum, and Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, will defend free speech on University of Wisconsin System campuses, and I hope the state Senate adopts it soon.

Defending free speech requires more of us than letting folks see who can shout the loudest. No freedom exists without responsibility. The freedom of speech is tied to the responsibility of letting others speak freely. Without the ability to be heard, without the ability to communicate, free speech is meaningless. Free speech includes the right to not be silenced not by the state, not by the state university, not by a mob, and not by an individual.

Nowhere is it more important to uphold the right to free speech than at our public universities. Nationally, we are witnessing disruptions in response to disagreeable speech. Some may say free speech isnt threatened here in Wisconsin. I say its never too early to preserve such an important right.

This is Wisconsin after all, and here in Wisconsin we dont wait until after a disaster to act. Wisconsin must continue to be on the forefront of protecting the right to speak, and the right to be heard.

Our public universities were established to discover and disseminate knowledge. This is only possible when controversial ideas can be freely expressed. College is not an extension of high school. A university is where truth is discovered and where decisions have real consequences.

A lot of people refer to college students as kids. But theyre not kids. Theyre adults. They used to be kids, and during that time they werent held responsible the way adults are. But college students are adults, and universities shouldnt coddle them. Its time that universities hold these adults responsible for their actions.

If someone is silenced on one of our campuses, Assembly Bill 299 provides them with clear legal recourse and clarity about how they can uphold their constitutional right to free speech. Everything in the bill is constitutional. In fact, it upholds the values of the First Amendment: allowing individuals to speak in a time, place, and manner where their voices can be heard.

Not only does a speaker have a right to be speak, but an audience has a right to hear the speech they came to see. This is especially true for students and their families who are paying so much for their time at a university.

Disrupting free speech is unconstitutional. Disruption is not speech. Disruption isnt protest. Disruption is theft. Its theft of another persons right to speak and be heard.

Im sure youll hear claims this bill protects so-called provocateurs. Well, this bill does protect them. Who decides who a provocateur is anyway? This bill protects provocateurs, professors, protesters and every other member of the public from being shut down by mob rule.

This bill sends the unmistakable message that Wisconsin values speech. Its a signal to people of all political leanings that they are welcome at our universities. The bill makes clear to students, faculty and visitors alike that silencing others is never an appropriate response to speech you dont like. Shouting down a person isnt the answer to speech you disagree with.

The free exchange of ideas must be at the core of a democratic society and a university education. Sunshine is the only disinfectant of bad ideas not silence, and not disruption. The process for enforcing speech policies on our college campuses will be dragged out into this light, ensuring fair and consistent application of the rules.

At orientation, students will learn about the importance of freedom of expression, which includes the right to speak and the responsibility to not silence others speech. New employees will receive information about freedom of expression. Instructors will receive an annual refresher on how to uphold free speech.

The bill protects the university from the type of mob thinking that has endangered so many other places. I dont know any elected officials who oppose free speech. How could we? Our jobs require us every day to enable speech, exercise speech, and honor free speech.

The UW Board of Regents has shown great leadership in adopting policies to protect freedom of expression. This bill backs up their initiative with the power of the law. It sends an important message that when university administrators take action to protect the free exercise of speech, those administrators will have the law squarely in their corner.

The enactment of this bill will ensure that Wisconsin citizens will never decline to speak up for fear of being shouted down on one of our college campuses.

Murphy, R-Greenville, represents the 56th Assembly District, including parts of Winneconne and Appleton: Rep.Murphy@legis.wisconsin.gov. This column was part of his Assembly floor speech on the Campus Free Speech Act he supports.

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Rep. Dave Murphy: Free speech includes right to be heard - Madison.com