You want to speak freely at UH? Then stay in the areas designated as “Free Speech Zones”

On the morning of Tuesday October 22,  I learned that there are occasions when free speech on the UH Manoa campus is only permissible in places officials designate as acceptable.

The site of this discovery: The National Security Agency table at the Campus Center Career Fair.  Given recent news of NSA spying activities in the U.S. and abroad, I had taken it upon myself to warn UH students that working for NSA might mean trolling through the emails, cell phone calls and social media messages of quite ordinary Americans (not to mention people around the globe).  Thus, the sign I held proclaiming, “NSA SPYS ON US.”

Very quickly, I was approached by Campus Center personnel who informed me that the place to express such ideas was at an official “free speech zone” outside the hall.  When I declined their offer (on grounds of constitutional rights to free speech) they summoned a UH police officer (accompanied by some HPD officers) to demand that I take my protest elsewhere.  I refused, arguing for some time with the campus cop, whom I knew from before.  This appeared to frustrate the HPD officers who seemed to want some action and took a photograph of me (for what purpose?)

Informed by the campus cop that the foyer right outside the hall was a “free speech area,” I took my sign over there.  But this information was wrong-the only “free speech area” was downstairs and outside, near the Campus Center steps, a place, of course, remote from the NSA presence.  Told to go there, I said “no” and continued to hold the sign until time came to attend a departmental meeting.

But the idea of restrictions on my right to free expression, the violation of my constitutional rights, did not sit well.  So later, after a class, I returned to the NSA table with my sign.  It was déjà vu:, The same UH policeman appeared urging me to leave. Again, I said I was defending my First Amendment rights and refused: “You can arrest me if you want…”  He declined.  When the forum ended at 2 P.M., I left.

This little melodrama seems yet another indication that in today’s America, our fundamental constitutional rights are under real pressure.  We must defend them.  And if this means small and large acts resisting authority, so be it!