I believe in the First Amendment. I do not like cutting people off and blocking them from saying what they think because it does not fit what others think should be discussed. I don't like it when it happens on American universities as happened in this case and I don't like it when books are taken out of a public library so that people can't read them. I believe free speech is critical to the American democracy.
I took my camera to UC Berkeley after I read that some students connected to an organization called BridgeUSA who believe in crossing partisan divides by allowing all points of view to speak on the campus, were blocked from speaking their minds, in some cases physically blocked where violence was either threatened or where the scene became violent.
This speaker is a member of BridgeUSA, an organization that believes that good governance starts with constructive political discussion. They work with America’s future leaders on college campuses to foster spaces wherein a diverse range of ideas can engage one another through the practice of responsible discourse.
BridgeUSA is a youth-led nonprofit organization that creates spaces on high school and college campuses for open discussion between students about political issues. Political division is one of the biggest challenges in the United States. Many of today's youth they say are being taught that a form of tribalism is better than unity and that having conversations across our differences has become impossible. Their work emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding, ideological diversity and solution-oriented politics. By engaging America’s youth in constructive discussions, they feel that they are equipping the next generation of leaders with the skills necessary for navigating conflict, finding solutions across differences and building bridges in their communities.
The Free Speech Movement at UC Berkeley in 1964 was a pivotal event in the history of free speech & student activism in the United States. It marked a significant challenge to university policies and played a crucial role in the broader civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s.
The University of California, Berkeley had policies restricting political activities and advocacy on campus. The administration banned the setting up of tables for distributing literature and soliciting donations for political causes in Sproul Plaza, a popular area for student gatherings. The conflict began when the university administration enforced its ban on political activity in Sproul Plaza. Student groups, including civil rights organizations, were directly affected by this policy.
The incident led to the formation of the Free Speech Movement, a coalition of student groups advocating for the right to free speech and academic freedom.
The FSM organized a series of protests, rallies, and sit-ins throughout the fall of 1964. The largest sit-in took place on December 2-3, 1964, when thousands of students occupied Sproul Hall, the administration building, in a massive act of civil disobedience. The sit-in resulted in the arrest of nearly 800 students. The administration called in police to clear the building, leading to clashes and widespread arrests. This heavy-handed response drew national attention and increased support for the FSM.
After intense negotiations and continued pressure from students, faculty, and the public, the university administration agreed to some of the FSM's demands. In January 1965, the Regents of the University of California officially lifted the ban on political activities and allowed students to engage in political advocacy on campus. The FSM's success had a profound impact on student activism and free speech rights across the United States. It inspired similar movements at other universities and contributed to the growing momentum of the broader civil rights and anti-war movements.