DOES U.K. REALLY BELIEVE IN THE FIRST AMENDMENT???

To observe Constitution Week, an annual event commemorating the fundamental document of our nation, U.K. had several political speakers on campus.

One was  Robert Ransdell, from Northern Kentucky, a qualified write-in candidate for U.S. Senate.

He came, he spoke, and well, we know the rest...

Ransdell, UK should have known—but apparently didn’t, has been described as a “neo-Nazi.” That he may or may not be, he definitely is anti-Semitic. His slogan is “With Jews We Lose.”

It wasn’t long before his views were very apparent in his talk at the UK Sudent Center. The audience objected and there were calls, according to news reports, that he be thrown off stage. He wasn’t, but a student center official apparently cut the power to his microphone and Ransdell quit.

So much for that observance of Constitution Week.  So much for the trade in ideas at UK. So much for a belief  in the First Amendment, which was written into  the Bill of Rights just to support ideas which are abhorrent to the majority.

UK President Eli Capilouto, who just happens to be the school’s first Jewish President, issued a statement saying “the language of hate..has no place in our community” which begs the question.

Either you support the First Amendment and allow UNpopular views to be heard, or you don’t.

I side with Thomas Jefferson, who said in his first inaugural address (relating to another civic issue then and people who held those unpopular views)…"Let them stand undisturbed as a monument of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated,  where reason is left free to combat it.”

UK failed its First Amendment test, and during Constitution week. A bad  lesson for students…and all of us.


I'm just sayin'...