Michael Gartner, the 1997 Pulitzer Prize winner for editorial writing, packed the house Tuesday night at the Ames Public Library with a speech about First Amendment rights in Iowa.

About 100 people turned out.

Gartner is the editor and one of three owners of The Daily Tribune. He is former president of NBC News, former editor of The Louisville Courier-Journal, former editor and president of The Des Moines Register and former page 1 editor of The Wall Street Journal.

He started his speech with stories of freedom, separation of church and state and how Iowa outlawed segregation 100 years before the U.S. Supreme Court did, “and that is why I am proud to be an Iowan,” Gartner said.

Gartner commented on free-speech issues in Ames and Iowa State. “Police should enforce the laws by arresting the lawbreakers and not stepping on anyone’s First Amendment rights. It is getting so bad the city is now banning signs on locks.”

Gartner said Iowa State is not part of America.

“They come down on secrecy and condemn people’s opinions. The university’s justice system is strange and bizarre. To require a permit to voice an opinion, to say students cannot put signs on their dorm doors and to say people cannot have tattoos that voice an opinion is all wrong. They should not keep everything such a secret. To do that is wrong.

“The university should teach students how to deal with offensive people and learn from debate. …I think there should be a rally every day on the steps of Beardshear Hall, either large or small, but that way people could learn from debate and learn who to follow and get to know what you want to do.”

On his most recent achievement, Gartner said, “Winning the Pulitzer Prize is a lot nicer than not winning one. The thing that kind of made winning the award great was the fact that I received the award on Tuesday, which was also my father’s 95th birthday.”

Gartner submitted several editorials that were written in 1996 and evaluated by the Pulitzer committee. The last time an Iowa newspaper journalist won a Pulitzer was in 1991, when The Des Moines Register won in the public-service category.

Gartner’s speech was apparently well received.

“I was delighted to find out that Michael Gartner worked in the same town as I do. He is a staunch defender of First Amendment rights and is also a kindred spirit,” said Gina Millsap, director of the Ames Public Library.