Conference debates free speech issues By Rachel Miller Ry ff* Oapoe Omty f moraki "Freedom of speech means that we must respect individu als' viewpoints and messages." said Robert O'Neil, author and law professor at the University of Virginia, during a live, inter active tele* onference on Oct. 21 The "Can we live with the First Amendment''" teleconfer ence took place at the Instruc tional Media Center and was presented by State University of New York at Albany and the PBS Adult Learning Satellite Service. The conference was hroad< ast simultaneously to college cam puses across the nation, giving viewers several opportunities to call in or fax questions to the panelists as they discussed issues of student rights to free speech and academic freedom. Along with () Noil, trio pan elists wore: Nat Hentoff. colum nist for 77m Village Voice and The Washington Post, and staff writer for The New Yorker. Mar ianne Merritt, associate at the law firm of Hirschkop & Associ ates; Orlando Patterson, profes sor of sociology at Harvard Uni versity; and Professor Isabel Marcus. In their opening comments, all panelists expressed a desire to see college campuses work toward attaining a "non hostile environment" that supports an individual’s right to freedom of expression. "Marginal groups should not be forced to feel silenced.” Mar cus said. And Merritt believes there is currently a breakdown of civili ty, respect and communication on college campuses. But stie said it is possible for the admin istration and students to come together to determine the bound aries of free speech in order to reduce the likelihood of stu dents "unintentionally and intentionally" offending each other. O'Neil pointed out that it is difficult to distinguish between hateful thought and thoughtful hatred. The panelist then debated the actions of teachers and students in three hypothetical cases involving First Amendment rights. The first case dealt with a stu dent's right to refuse reading and discussing course material he found personally offensive, and the second case focused on the right of a fraternity to dis play tasteless posters under the protection of the First Amend ment. The third scenario described the conflict between a group of Latino students and a student newspaper, ending with the dis gruntled students stealing all the copies of the newspaper in protest. After the cases wore presented the panelists gave their opinions concerning professor, adminis ET ALS MISCELLANEOUS (jrarr Planning and Placemen! Ser vice will prevent a mandatory group meeting from Great Wee! Life from 7 to B 30 tonight In Cedar Room A in the KMU For more Information, call 346 3235. Deadline for submitting Et Ah to the Emerald front desk. 300 EMI'. u noon the day before publication The newt editor does not have a time machine Et Ale run the day of the event unlett the event take* place before noon [ration and student rights and responsibilities in each case Patterson raised the question about protesting in a university classroom setting versus the pub lic streets. Me pointed out that the essential right of a student to express his or her views does not include disrupting a let ture If a person were waving a ban ner in protest of a lecture, he or she would lie removed from the i lass. Patterson said Hut if this same action were to oct ur out side of the classroom setting, the protester i mild not lie removed O'Neil agreed that disrupting a c lass should not be permitted Because it is. "charged with training immature minds, it is the university's responsibility to train students and professors to give sensitivity to issues." O'Neil said cam Get a Date? Parents and Friends Nagging You? Break the Habit with a Smoking Cessation Workshop & Support Group , Tuesdays, Oct. 26 - Nov. 16' 4pm - 5pm (/ (downstairs m the Medical I ibrarc ot the Stuilcnl Health ( edict •) l imited Space Registration ( Call 346-4456 to preregister ■ Sfhmu>/<•