“Being called by a person you have never met or talked to before, notifying you that neo-Nazis have made death threats against your organization over a bill about hate speech was a little surprising,” Leahy said.

ASMSU is MSU’s undergraduate student government.

The comment was posted on Michigan Messenger’s Web site. The political news outlet ran an article about the free speech bill.

The bill asks university officials to define the difference between free speech and hate speech, said Osman Elfaki, vice chairperson for student programming.

“The purpose of the bill is to work with administrators to find methods that will foster a more conducive learning environment with regards to the issue of free speech and what is sometimes interpreted, by some, as hate speech,” Elfaki said.

MSU spokesman Terry Denbow said although it’s important to discuss the topic, the university does not have the authority to change rights granted by the First Amendment.

“Asking us to define or regulate speech would be asking us to come up with rules and regulations for when to lock the gate to the open marketplace of ideas,” Denbow said. “There shouldn’t be a lock in (the) first place, but if there were, we should all have keys.”

Elfaki said he received several complaints from representatives on ASMSU’s Programming Board about past events on campus that some people found offensive.

“Some have felt that certain situations that occurred on campus in the last couple years have been, in their view, actions of hate speech and are feeling intimidated by this,” Elfaki said.

ASMSU will ask university officials to attend a Student Assembly meeting to discuss the university’s position on free speech and hate speech.

“Free speech is a right and a privilege that every individual has in the United States,” Elfaki said. “However, there are limitations to it.”