Free speech in America has been fought for and protected since the beginning of the country’s existence, and many court cases have developed in order to protect this constitutional right.
Some students, however, have experienced threatening responses and negative feedback from people who do not agree with their views about the war.
Saturday’s anti-war protest by members from the Coalition for Alternatives to War on Iraq was interrupted by a group of bikers who used obscenity and violent threats toward the protesters.
The bikers were encouraged by Richard Condon, a local radio announcer from KOOJ FM, to meet the CAWI protesters.
Stacy Sauce, a mass communication junior and CAWI member, said the counter-protesters yelled at them and made the atmosphere uncomfortable for everyone there.
“The DJ told them to get drunk and bash the protesters,” Sauce said. “I was with my friend and her two younger brothers, so we tried to stay out of the way.”
She said the bikers even went so far as to rattle their engines during a speaker, so protesters could not hear the speeches.
Lee Abbott, an English senior, said it is an obligation in society to speak up when someone disagrees with something, and their peaceful protest was doing just that.
“I think it’s a misunderstanding of what your freedoms are when you’re protesting. And threatening lives and destroying unity are not a part of that,” Abbott said.
He said the demonstrations from the bikers Saturday can intimidate anti-war protesters, but it would not discourage him from doing other protests.
“I’m sure it can scare people away, but when people have to resort to violence and violent remarks instead of data, it doesn’t win the argument,” Abbott said.
Shaun Treat, a speech communication professor, has a barrage of anti-war comics, articles and quotes on and around his office door. He has experienced firsthand the distaste of others who take a pro-war stance.
“My door has been vandalized, and I’ve had signs ripped off,” Treat said. “I’ve gotten anonymous e-mails. They like the f-word.”
He said counter-measures of profanity and hate mail are not effective persuasive strategies, and he encourages his students to be more committed to making dialogue instead of screaming matches.
Treat said there are points to both sides about the war, and people need to talk about it so others can form an honest opinion.
“By silencing those people who have a different view, it stops people who are impartial on making a decision about where they stand,” Treat said. “We can’t evaluate both sides unless you hear everyone.”
He said those who are anti-war have a fear of physical harm from those who are pro-war, and many do not voice their views because of intimidation tactics like those used Saturday.
Caitilin Grabarek, an anthropology senior and CAWI member, said she has received threatening phone calls from Richard Condon and his listeners because of her anti-war views.
“I had this woman call me and ask me what I was going to do when Saddam came to nuke Baton Rouge,” Grabarek said. “I just told her I thought he would be smart enough to know the Saints are in New Orleans.”
Grabarek said violent protests toward others has a double effect because it can be intimidating, but it also gets people more involved and wanting to take action to protect their rights.
Craig Freeman, a lawyer and mass communication media law professor, said people have a constitutional right to freedom of speech.
“It gets tricky because people have the right to free speech, but people also have the right to oppose the protesters,” Freeman said.
He said people have overstepped their boundaries when they use “fighting words,” or language that is not protected under free speech rights.
“If I say, ‘If you don’t meet me in front of Johnston Hall at 3:40, I’m going to shoot you,’ that’s a conditional threat, and it is protected,” Freeman said. “But if I stand right in front of you and say ‘If you don’t shut up, I’m going to shoot you,’ that’s an immediate threat; it isn’t protected, so someone could get sued.”