Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Calendar: Saturday, Oct. 25 Helman students illustrate kindness, love Newly renovated Ashland Hills hosts open house SOU's 'Count Me In' campaign raises $210,000 Aquatics backer announces write-in candidacy for Parks & Rec board Education Helman students illustrate kindness, love SOU's 'Count Me In' campaign raises $210,000 Fun, fundraising and art at Helman Elementary School Ashland mourns death of former coach Stan Gida Goal not reached, but don't count out 'Count Me In' yet Environment Rite Aid cub well, could come back to southern Oregon Report: Smaller streams need further protection Bear cub wanders into Rite Aid Kalmiopsis' future at stake if mining goes forward Fires and forests evolved together, but now people are in the mix Business Newly renovated Ashland Hills hosts open house Hot Stuff Espresso Blue Toba erupts onto dining scene Interim president leads in a different direction Silvio Calabi: Acura’s 2015 TLX is two cars in one Politics and elections Aquatics backer announces write-in candidacy for Parks & Rec board Richardson accuses Kitzhaber of 'corruption' in final debate Stricker steps down from Talent council Merkley-Wehby to debate in Medford Ashland land use rule review continues State News Nation - World Obituaries Ronald J. Hupp Death Notices Gary Wayne Campbell Brian Douglas Bellamy Death Notices Sports Latest Stories They're twins, and they're good Royals' Guthrie to face Giants' Hudson in Game 3 App Finder: Best basketball apps No. 11 SOU volleyball team returns home for two key matches Ashland mourns death of former coach Stan Gida High school They're twins, and they're good Ashland mourns death of former coach Stan Gida What slump? Grizzlies drop-kick Eagles Grizzlies row to raise money for regatta Grizzlies run out of magic in loss to No. 3 Springfield Southern Oregon University No. 11 SOU volleyball team returns home for two key matches Ashland mourns death of former coach Stan Gida SOU football team falls to No. 7 in NAIA rankings No. 4 SOU, No. 3 Carroll to square off in Frontier Conference showdown Third-ranked Concordia strikes quick, topples SOU Opinion Latest Stories Our View: Fix the 'free speech zone' Teaching the First Amendment Granlund cartoon: New York Ebola Jim Brock: Should government legalize gay marriage? Amy Gehrt: Your vote counts this Election Day Editorial Our View: Fix the 'free speech zone' Our View: Cheering Ashland's own Kitzhaber is the better choice Our View: Merkley, with a nudge Our view: Positive about Bates Letters Letters to the Editor, Oct. 24 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 23 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 21 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 21 Letters to the editor Guest opinions Teaching the First Amendment Guest Opinion: Media are part of the pot prohibition problem Wilderness successes could be lost if funding not restored Religion and politics in America City should revise its rules for murals Revels Latest Stories Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Repertory singers prepare 'powerful' opening concert Griffin heads to Historic Ashland Armory Best Bets Oct. 23-30 'Fury' shows the grim toll of war Theater New plays debut at ANPF Music Repertory singers prepare 'powerful' opening concert Q&A: Broken Down Guitars The Farr Side: Bryan Adams releases album of influential hits Tutunov Piano Series begins at SOU Q&A: Becky Alter Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk Movies Movie review: ‘Whiplash’ hits high notes Movie review: ‘Birdman,’ Keaton soar Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas 'Fury' shows the grim toll of war Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Portal to freedom and expanded human potential Frank Talk: A little Halloween humor circa 1970 Barry Lewis: The idiot light Community Blog: Predicting Peace - Part 6 of 7 Dr. Jeff Hersh: Controversy over breast cancer screening Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs NEWS NOW Calendar: Saturday, Oct. 25 ... Our View: Fix the 'free speech zone' ... Teaching the First Amendment ... Calendar: Saturday, Oct. 25 ... Our View: Fix the 'free speech zone' ... Teaching the First Amendment ... EDUCATION Student says free speech issue overblown By Teresa Thomas For the Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Teresa Thomas For the Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 20, 2014 @ 6:34 pm By Teresa Thomas For the Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 20, 2014 @ 6:34 pm » RELATED CONTENT • SOU students protest university's free-speech zone • Our View: Ralph Temple fought on for social justice • Court seems likely to block Secret Service case » Social News Student organizers of a free-speech demonstration held earlier this month at Southern Oregon University say the incident has been misinterpreted by many people and described the university’s administration as “courteous and conciliatory.” “It saddens us to see how many people have taken our actions as a carte blanche to attach their politics onto our campus issue,” said SOU senior Dylan Bloom, in a statement on behalf of the university’s Students for Concealed Carry. Bloom was one of six students handing out copies of the Constitution and collecting signatures for a petition against SOU’s so-called "free speech zone" on Tuesday, Oct. 7. The students intentionally positioned themselves in a residential part of campus near McLoughlin Hall and the Greensprings Complex and were approached by several university officials who asked them to move to the free speech zone located outside Stevenson Union. In 2013, Bloom said, he and other students were told by the director of housing that they couldn't campaign for student government positions or host a voter-registration drive outside the residence halls and were directed to the free speech zone. Bloom said university administrators have since clarified that the free speech zone is a Stevenson Union guideline and not a university policy. The guideline, Bloom said, was created by the student center in 2003 in response to Iraq War demonstrations. “The Stevenson Union adopted the policy so protesters couldn't come into the building and interrupt educational activities,” Bloom said. The six students involved — three are currently members of SOU’s student government — are meeting with the university's provost and associate provost today, Tuesday, to discuss how the students and university should proceed. The incident garnered national attention and was covered by Fox News, The Washington Times, United Press International, Examiner.com and other media outlets after appearing on the  Campus Reform website. “On our part, we feel we have responsibility to inform the campus and community at large that the university has reached out to us, recognizes changes need to be made, and that we will actively be involved in the wording of new policy,” Bloom said. He added that he was grateful for the community’s support but disappointed with how the incident was blown out of proportion at the national level and how “people misconstrued what our intentions were.” Since the incident, people have posted negative and sometimes hostile comments on the university’s Facebook page, left voicemails for university officials with “some colorful language” and threatened to bring protesters to campus, said Ryan Brown, the university’s spokesman. “But so far we haven’t seen any of those groups,” he said. Because the students involved  were members of Students for Concealed Carry, the incident also drew the attention of gun groups. One man told a local news station that he wanted to see how the university would react when he and others showed up on campus with AR-15s strapped to their backs, Bloom said. Another man sent the SCC group a Facebook message saying he was organizing a coalition of people to come on campus in support of concealed carry. “We informed him via a message that we appreciated the support of the community but that his demonstration would detract from our ultimate goal,” Bloom said. “Although we are Students for Concealed Carry, the issue we are addressing is free speech and not concealed carry on campus,” he added. Reach Main Tribune reporter Teresa Thomas at 541-776-4497 or [email protected]. Follow her at www.twitter.com/teresathomas_mt.   By Teresa Thomas For the Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Teresa Thomas For the Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 20, 2014 @ 6:34 pm » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501