Campus Group Pressures Alabama U. Into Lifting Dixie Flag Ban

Worthy News ^ | October 16, 2003 | Jim Brown

[leadpencil1]

Excellent!

[wardaddy]

bump

[stainlessbanner]

Hurrah!

[stand watie]

YYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

for the TRUE CAUSE,sw

[SCDogPapa]

About time someone showed some sense!! Better than no movement at all.

[Tax-chick]

I think that's great, but the students' reasoning isn't exactly a testimony to their civics education.

the school responded by passing a blanket ban on all window displays in student dormitories. ASA director Charles Nuckolls says his organization then wrote a letter informing the University of Alabama that it was violating the free-speech rights of students.

Students don't have much property right in a dorm room/building - more like hotel room guests than regular apartment tenants - and hanging things from the windows of someone else's property is quite a stretch as a free speech right. Many housing occupants - private renters, condo owners, and even residents of my tidy subdivision - have contractual restrictions on what they can have on or around their property.

IMO, the university would be legally entitled to have a universal "nothing out the windows" rule. If dorm residents don't agree with the facilities' rules, they can move out.

[Tax-chick]

I think that's great, but the students' reasoning isn't exactly a testimony to their civics education.

the school responded by passing a blanket ban on all window displays in student dormitories. ASA director Charles Nuckolls says his organization then wrote a letter informing the University of Alabama that it was violating the free-speech rights of students.

Students don't have much property right in a dorm room/building - more like hotel room guests than regular apartment tenants - and hanging things from the windows of someone else's property is quite a stretch as a free speech right. Many housing occupants - private renters, condo owners, and even residents of my tidy subdivision - have contractual restrictions on what they can have on or around their property.

IMO, the university would be legally entitled to have a universal "nothing out the windows" rule. If dorm residents don't agree with the facilities' rules, they can move out.

[Tax-chick]

Ooops! Nothing works quite right since the Net-knight "fixed" the system ...

[Redbob]

Ah yes, that pesky 'free speech' thing...

[Redbob]

"IMO, the university would be legally entitled to have a universal "nothing out the windows" rule."

And IMO, folks should be required to read tha article before commenting on it...
<grin>

In fact, there was nothing said about things hanging OUT the windows. The article said
<quote>...the group asked their student friends in the same dormitory and in others to place the United States flag in their windows.</quote>

[Tax-chick]

It appears you're right, and I misunderstood the exact issue of placement. Thanks for being so nice about it; made my day.

[4CJ]

Kudos to them!

[Tax-chick]

I have restated my post to reflect the above correction:

****

Students don't have much property right in a dorm room/building - more like hotel room guests than regular apartment tenants - and hanging things in the windows of someone else's property is quite a stretch as a free speech right. Many housing occupants - private renters, condo owners, and even residents of my tidy subdivision - have contractual restrictions on what they can have in, on, or around their property.

IMO, the university would be legally entitled to have a universal "nothing except university-issue curtains in the windows" rule. If dorm residents don't agree with the facilities' rules, they can move out. For example, my subdivision does not allow owners to cover the interior of windows with aluminum foil, because this may affect the value of other owners' properties.

[billbears]

About time!!! At least one university sees the light

[wardaddy]

Indeed....good for them.

[bourbon]

One of the members of the ASA is a personal friend of mine and a fellow Freeper!!!

Kudos to you, Austin Willard Wright!

BTW, I've helped ASA from time to time by posting notices about their activities on this forum. ASA definitely deserves our gratitude and support for the work that they do. They are fighting the good fight in the harsh and unfriendly environment of the postmodern academy.

Please check out their website at: http://www.alabamascholars.org

[Between the Lines]

Thank you Alabama Scholars Association for all that you do. Great strategy! May you have many more victories! Keep up the good work!

Thank you Burbon also, for the link and introduction to the ASA.

[wardaddy]

BIG BUMP TO AUSTIN WILLARD WRIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Austin Willard Wright]

Many thanks!