Carlow University 'wall' encourages free speech

A student group at Carlow University recently erected on campus a large outdoor poster-board, and on its otherwise blank surface, invited passersby to answer a question posed in blue marker: What is free speech?

For 10 days now, answers have been filling up the board, both weighty and whimsical, as students and others stop long enough to get whatever is on their mind off their chest and onto what the group has dubbed Free Speech Wall.

Thoughts on politics and religion, pointed observations about education and police, as well as expressions of personal sorrow and affirmation have appeared. The comments are helping the group, a campus chapter of Young Americans for Liberty, promote a dialogue on campus about the dimensions of free expression.

America should give up racism for lent, read one. Learning to love myself each day. You should too. stated another. Words might cost me my freedom, but they will never cost me my soul or my dignity, read yet another.

And then there was this:Can we have two-ply toilet paper?

The newly formed group approached school administrators with the idea, saying the project fit with the Catholic universitys mission to pursue truth in learning and to respect others, said Richard Haynes, 30, a senior history major from Smithton. The school agreed.

Two connected eight-foot-by-four-foot poster-boards attached to plywood went up in Carlows Hospitality Garden, next to Frances Warde Hall.The board is to come down at the end of today, and messages from it will be used to help organize a teach-in on campus.

Mr. Haynes said the anonymous messages on the board left up round the clock were largely upbeat and respectful. He said organizers removed nothing, but pointing to faded marker on some messages, he added, The weather seems to have taken some things down.

Drew Wilson, a Carlow spokesman, said administrators saw merit to the idea. Besides, he added, the feelings would exist on campus even if the wall was not there.

One student took the opportunity to say, Athiests have morals too.Another invoked recent police brutality protests with the words Hands up. Dont shoot. Still others tackled sexual and gender identify.

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Carlow University 'wall' encourages free speech