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FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) is a Free speech/due process advocacy group that is involved in Campus Rights actions and cases. While recently most of their cases involve speech issues involving surpression of conservative/republican/libertarian thought, they do fight for the rights of those on the left as well.
Public University Threatens Student with Expulsion for Anti-Lynching Protest - FIRE
While I disagree with the left's sudden need to erase history, and more specifically any things named after people with a past they disagree with, Her protest is protected speech, and FIRE is rightly taking action to help her.
Let is be said I also disagree with this particular person's position. However her right to protest is sacrosanct. While her protest was over the top, it involved no violence, not permanent damage to any property, and thus should not be punished in any way.
Public University Threatens Student with Expulsion for Anti-Lynching Protest - FIRE
While I disagree with the left's sudden need to erase history, and more specifically any things named after people with a past they disagree with, Her protest is protected speech, and FIRE is rightly taking action to help her.
Let is be said I also disagree with this particular person's position. However her right to protest is sacrosanct. While her protest was over the top, it involved no violence, not permanent damage to any property, and thus should not be punished in any way.
During the weekend of November 12, Winthrop student Samantha Valdez allegedly participated in preparing an art installation featuring figures in the trees outside Winthrop’s Tillman Hall alongside a sign reading “Tillman’s Legacy.” Tillman Hall is named after Benjamin Tillman, a governor of South Carolina from 1890 to 1894 whose time in office saw an increase in the number of lynchings of African-Americans.
In response to the “Tillman’s Legacy” art installation, Winthrop University President Daniel F. Mahony sent an email to the campus community on November 14 expressing his intention to punish those responsible for the display. He wrote, “While we do not know the intent of this display, these images are clearly hurtful and threatening and are contrary to the values of Winthrop University.”