2008 Woodie Awards
Letter: We must be careful not to blur the lines between privacy and free speech
Issue date: 2/21/07 Section: Opinion
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To The Editor:
Free speech is a cherished part of our heritage as citizens of the United States, and the freedom to express differing points of view is a prerequisite for a functioning university. But freedom and responsibility are twin virtues-simply because you can say something, it does not follow that you should.
We are writing to express our concern about recent public Internet postings; one was degrading to women in general and the other was degrading to one woman in particular, a student at Saint Joseph's. These postings, sent to members of our student body, are not only damaging to the targeted individuals but are corrosive to our community. In our view, the best antidote to this type of malicious or hateful speech is counter-speech, and this is why we are writing this letter.
Ours is an academic community, rooted in our mission and prizing a love of learning, moral discernment, and a transforming commitment to social justice. These types of Internet postings are clearly contrary to our mission. Community and personal dignity are very fragile things, easily damaged by Internet rants; we do not preserve community and protect each others dignity through silence and avoidance. We preserve it through honestly and respectfully speaking our point of view and listening to that of others-always leaving space for the possibility of learning something new.
We understand that the University Student Senate is considering an open student forum to discuss the impact of Internet postings upon students. We support a student forum such as this, since we believe that these two incidents are not isolated events but are signals of deeper issues about gender, race, and the campus climate. We encourage students to attend the forum, to speak and to listen.
Linda Lelii, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Life
Brice Wachterhauser, Ph.D., Provost
Free speech is a cherished part of our heritage as citizens of the United States, and the freedom to express differing points of view is a prerequisite for a functioning university. But freedom and responsibility are twin virtues-simply because you can say something, it does not follow that you should.
We are writing to express our concern about recent public Internet postings; one was degrading to women in general and the other was degrading to one woman in particular, a student at Saint Joseph's. These postings, sent to members of our student body, are not only damaging to the targeted individuals but are corrosive to our community. In our view, the best antidote to this type of malicious or hateful speech is counter-speech, and this is why we are writing this letter.
Ours is an academic community, rooted in our mission and prizing a love of learning, moral discernment, and a transforming commitment to social justice. These types of Internet postings are clearly contrary to our mission. Community and personal dignity are very fragile things, easily damaged by Internet rants; we do not preserve community and protect each others dignity through silence and avoidance. We preserve it through honestly and respectfully speaking our point of view and listening to that of others-always leaving space for the possibility of learning something new.
We understand that the University Student Senate is considering an open student forum to discuss the impact of Internet postings upon students. We support a student forum such as this, since we believe that these two incidents are not isolated events but are signals of deeper issues about gender, race, and the campus climate. We encourage students to attend the forum, to speak and to listen.
Linda Lelii, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Life
Brice Wachterhauser, Ph.D., Provost
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