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Comment by uncoder0 | Hacker News Reader

Looks like these kinds of policies are creeping out of high schools and making their way into public universities. Where would we be if we didn't allow free speech at universities in the 1960's? I thought this fight had already been won.[1] Free speech seems to be one of those things that institutions and governments need to be repeatedly compelled to respect.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Speech_Movement

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> Where would we be if we didn't allow free speech at universities in the 1960's?

In the actual 1960s ... the Free Speech Movement of 1964-1965 that you point to was a response to the fact that denial of free speech was the status quo.

> I thought this fight had already been won.

Sure, there was ground gained, at least temporarily, by the Free Speech Movement, but victory wasn't durable. Otherwise, we wouldn't have seen the violent suppression of non-violent on-campus free speech in 1970. [1]

> Free speech seems to be one of those things that institutions and governments need to be repeatedly compelled to respect.

Yeah, there's a reason that it is said that "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance".

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_shootings

"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." [0] This case illustrates one of the permanent forces to guard against: Well-meaning people routinely make shortsighted decisions to address a problem, at the expense of things that are far more important.

None of us is immune to the tendency. Each of us must eternally watch ourselves too. Political maturity comes when we can check our decisions by seeing both sides of an issue and carefully weighing the costs.

[0]: http://www.thisdayinquotes.com/2011/01/eternal-vigilance-is-...

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