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America’s Founding Fathers prided themselves on creating a free country for its citizens, especially one where people could speak unencumbered by government restrictions.
Controversies surrounding free speech have become more prominent in recent years; for example, Harrison Butker’s commencement speech at Benedictine College in May ignited significant backlash for his anti-LGBTQIA+ comments and misogynistic undertones. Similarly, many Colorado State University students were outraged at Riley Gaines’ presence on campus in April due to her outward scorn for transgender athletes competing in sports.
Free speech is the crux of America; however, universities have their own policies regarding it. Speakers like Gaines and Butker prove that free speech, while important, undermines certain policies and can even damage them.
CSU’s policy on discrimination and harassment states that the university is committed to creating an inclusive environment and “prohibits discrimination and harassment … by or against any member of or visitor to CSU.”
On April 3, Gaines spoke on behalf of Turning Point USA in favor of banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.
Her speech incorporated a significant amount of religious rhetoric. While CSU’s policy encourages practicing one’s religion, there’s a fine line between practicing it and using it to go after certain groups of people.
“We are denying, of course, biblical truth but objective truth,” Gaines said. “The most basic of truths at that: man and woman.”
Not everyone believes in the Bible. Christianity, while prominent, isn’t proven to be the “objective truth” to non-Christians. Transgender and gender-fluid people have existed since the beginning of humanity. In certain Native American tribes, the term “two-spirit” has been used to describe individuals who don’t fit with their biological identities.
There’s no denying that there have been and will always be people who don’t identify with the traditional Western binary. Using Christianity as a measure of “objective truth” outwardly denies the validity of these individuals and therefore violates CSU’s discrimination policy.
Even on a highly religious campus like Benedictine College, free speech can still violate and damage the school’s policy. According to the Benedictine College student handbook, “The college prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, marital status, parental status, genetic information or any other classification protected by law.”
On May 11, Butker, an openly Christian football player for the Kansas City Chiefs, gave a commencement speech that angered millions. He referred to LGBTQIA+ pride as “the deadly sins sort of pride that has a whole month dedicated to it.” Openly calling an entire group of people sinful in a religious context is openly discriminatory, directly compromising Benedictine’s policy.
Free speech is a massively important part of the nation’s history and part of what makes America unique. However, when used to discriminate and openly disapprove of entire groups of people, it absolutely damages policies set in place by universities like CSU and Benedictine.
America is great because people can speak their minds, but hate has no place here, especially on college campuses. College is where young people are expected to grow, change, learn and find themselves during their entrance into adulthood. It’s a chaotic and beautiful time in students’ lives, a time in which they should feel and be protected by their school’s policies.
Reach Addy Dollaghan at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @ADollaghan.