I almost fell out of my seat in class when I read the headline "Suspect charged for posting offensive flier" (SN 2/3). Have we completely forgotten about that all-important document that expresses and guarantees the freedoms that our forefathers have fought and died for?

We are charging someone with a crime for something he said (albeit nonverbally in this case). Could there be a situation more blatantly ignorant of the First Amendment? While it was undoubtedly of poor judgment and bad taste to post the phone numbers of Black Caucus board members on the flier, the article didn't specify any "racial slurs" that appeared on the flier.

I didn't read one thing that made the flier racist. If the German language is somehow inherently racist because of the events that happened surrounding World War II, then maybe we should eliminate it as a course of study at the university. If the flier was making fun of any group of people, it was caucasian people. Based on the information in the article, it sounds as though the flier stated that various unorthodox sexual activities would be going on at the "White Caucus" event.

My point is even if the flier was blatantly racist and reprehensible, it should never have become a legal issue as to whether someone is allowed to say those things. We need to keep in mind the First Amendment protects all speech, not just speech we agree with.

Rory Finneren
computer engineering junior