Free speech wall rises at Carlow University

Carlow University's founders, the Sisters of Mercy, held values that align with the philosophy of a peaceful liberty, which made it the perfect place to set up two 4- by 8-foot plywood boards to form a free speech wall, a student leader said Monday.

Passers-by are free to write messages on the boards at the Oakland-based Catholic university, said Carlow senior Richard Haynes, 30, a history major.

It really is up to the interpretation of who is writing it, said Haynes, founder and president of the Carlow chapter of the Young Americans for Liberty, which sponsors the wall.

Handwritten messages range from those supporting equality and social justice, such as Liberty is Truth and America should give up racism for Lent, to calls for changes to the education system, such as There should not be any grades.

Founded in December, the Carlow chapter of the Young Americans for Liberty set up the wall Feb. 24 on the campus. It plans to take it down Friday.

The group obtained permission to set up the wall from the vice president of student engagement. The $100 for the supplies to build the wall came from Young Americans for Liberty.

Carlow is a university where a free exchange of ideas is expected, university spokesman Drew Wilson said.

These ideas are going to be here whether there is a wall or not, he said.

Founded in 2008, Young Americans for Liberty is a libertarian and conservative youth organization headquartered in Arlington, Va., according to the organization. There are more than 570 chapters nationwide. Chapters often set up free speech walls, said Deirdre Hackleman, spokeswoman for the national office.

Tory N. Parrish is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 412-380-5662 or tparrish@tribweb.com.

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Free speech wall rises at Carlow University