Fellowship’s Free Speech Alley demonstrations ignite student reactions
Men with signs condemning masturbators, homosexuals and Catholics, children handing out pamphlets with the image of the Grim Reaper on the cover and the sound of people screaming hateful comments heard throughout the Parade Ground — all in the name of religion.
Free Speech Alley was the setting for more heated debate this week as Consuming Fire Fellowship preached to students as they made their way to class and to the Union.
The debates brought out more of the yelling, name calling, laughter, in-depth and one-on-one discussions and even burning of religious handouts that students have come to expect.
“There’s usually a mixed reaction,” said pastor Britt Williams. “Generally, the response is that some are curious, some are offended and some are generally interested.”
“Offensive” is one of the main words students use to describe the actions of the Consuming Fire Fellowship, and Williams acknowledges this, saying it is because the nature of the message is confrontational.
Many students feel the remarks preachers made toward them are wrong and should not be allowed in Free Speech Alley.
Media Law professor Louis Day said Consuming Fire Fellowship members have the First Amendment right to speak their point, and the University has the right to make reasonable accommodations for it to take place.
“But it’s obviously uncivil if the kind of language they use would entice someone to fight,” Day said.
Biology freshman Emily Hartfield said watching the students and the pastors debate is amusing.
“I think they are getting people’s attention, but they are not conveying the message at all,” Hartfield said.
Aaron Moyer, a music education freshman, said he feels the preachers are not getting their message across because students just come by to mock them.
Moyer added if they would step down from the benches they preached from and spoke more civilly, their message would reach more people.
“In a way, I think they do a lot better when they follow up the conversations with one-on-one discussions afterward,” said philosophy senior Chiceaux Lynch.
Lynch explained further that people with honest disagreements and honest questions to ask would choose to speak one on one and not draw so much attention.
But the preachers’ finger-pointing and confrontational style is what upsets students the most.
“What he is saying is totally wrong,” said biology freshman Deanna Barnes. “He’s judging people, and he doesn’t even know who they are.”
Biological sciences freshman Bryn Manning said she feels most students are upset because they do not like being told they are evil or are sinning.
Other organizations handle things in a more civilized manner by handing out pamphlets and speaking from their designated tables, Manning aid.
“I haven’t seen one person, in the two years that I’ve been here, give them a positive reaction,” said kinesiology sophomore Mary Duffy.
Some students also found it wrong that the preachers brought their children out on the cold days this week to witness the debate, which sometimes involved rude language.
“They always bring their kids out here with signs they don’t understand,” Manning said.
The greater crime is for the preachers to come out to Free Speech Alley to harass students with the children present, Manning added.
However, Scott Lewis, one of the members of the Fellowship who also brought his children, said it is beneficial to the children for them to learn the ways of Jesus by sharing their faith.
No matter what, the Fellowship continues to bring in crowds of listeners, whether to poke fun, to debate or to take advice.
“This is better entertainment than you can find on television,” said French and international studies sophomore Mandy Moolekamp.
Benjamin Leger