One of the most amazing things about freedom of speech and the American experiment in democracy is their long-term stability.

Even more striking is the relative scarcity of real challenges to that freedom: the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798, McCarthyism in the 1950s and perhaps a handful of others.

But make no mistake — the topic of freedom of speech has always been hotter than the sun beating down on a lone protester.

Does Anybody Really Care?

At Iowa State, the debate goes on, despite a dearth of student activists and an equal lack of hot-button issues.

Ames Tribune editor Michael Gartner said students might take the First Amendment more seriously if their freedoms were threatened.

“They haven’t yet been out in the world to realize how precious freedom of speech is,” he said. “You don’t really realize that until you see it come close to home.”

The co-founder of The Drummer, an ISU student publication known for its social conscience, agreed.

“Students in general these days are not too concerned about the First Amendment, unfortunately,” said Mark Ingles, also The Drummer’s adviser from 1996-98.

As recently as 10 or 15 years ago, Ingles said, student speech covered the ISU campus.

“But now, it’s just totally fallen off the cliff,” he said. “You don’t have a whole lot of people being outspoken.”

Students are still active, said ISU President Martin Jischke, mentioning last fall’s Habitat for Humanity “Blitz Build” as just one student-supported social cause.

“I believe the students at Iowa State care a lot about a number of things,” he said. “The majority of students assume they have First Amendment rights and that they can exercise them.”

High Noon at Beardshear

One incident frequently recalled by those who monitor free speech at ISU is the unauthorized noon rally by The September 29th Movement on Nov. 5, 1996, at Beardshear Hall.

The Movement planned the gathering to draw attention to their chief issue — the renaming of Catt Hall — and requested the use of the inside steps of Beardshear.

The ISU administration refused permission because, officials said, university business would be disrupted by the crowd noise and congestion on the stairway.

After the gathering, eight students were cited for illegal use of university facilities, prompting cries that free speech was being infringed.

Paul Tanaka, director of University Legal Services, said Movement members were given two options before the demonstration: move to the outside steps of Beardshear or find another campus location.

“Either of those would have been fine,” he said. “The idea was not to shut down the speech … We provided an alternative, and the leadership of The September 29th elected not to take the alternative.”

Ingles, who observed the Catt Hall saga during his time at ISU, offers a different version of the story.

“The [Movement members] were rather vocal, but they were taken to task by the administration,” he said. “By no means were they ever given free reign to have their speech.”

Students Speak Out

Xavier Allen, president of the Black Student Alliance, gives the administration low marks for its treatment of student speakers.

“The standard is set by the president himself,” he said, recalling Jischke’s ambivalent reaction to the pro-Movement stance of Derrick Rollins, the president’s diversity adviser.

“It was like the president overlooked him,” Allen said.

“He’s on your executive cabinet; if you aren’t going to listen to his opinion, who else are you going to listen to?” he asked.

Another activist voice on ISU’s campus is Dave Cmelik, graduate student in business administration and the managing editor of The Drummer.

Cmelik said cuts to The Drummer’s budget are a disturbing hint of what can happen to speakers who do not follow the party line.

“We don’t pull any punches, and that can be very detrimental to a journalist and a publication,” he said.

Ben Gran, member of ISU’s chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, suggested “adequate” as a description of the campus speech climate.

“The university has had a few incidents … where there were some abuses of free speech rights,” said Gran, junior in liberal arts and sciences.

“On the other hand, we have the God-Socks Guy up by the Hub. It doesn’t seem like anyone is trying to shut him up, which is good,” he said.

Dean of Students Kathleen MacKay said appreciation for diverse viewpoints is the ultimate answer to the innumerable ins and outs of free speech.

“There are all kinds of people here with all kinds of ideas,” she said.

“You might not always agree with them, but the bottom line is, people have their right to speak,” MacKay said.