Pubdate: Mon, 21 May 2012 Source: Pueblo Chieftain (CO) Copyright: 2012 The Pueblo Chieftain Contact: http://www.chieftain.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1613 FREE SPEECH? SEN. KEVIN Grantham, R-Canon City, has criticized Colorado University for policies he says harm First Amendment rights. The policies were adopted to manage the annual 4/20 pro-marijuana smokeout on the Boulder campus. We doubt that many of those who took part have medical marijuana documentation, so the demonstrators clearly were performing an illegal act. But the policies require anyone seeking to gather at the campus or distribute literature there - including petitions - to apply for a permit that administrators must approve. Distribution of those materials also is limited to specific "free speech zones." Since when is speech free when it must be approved by an agent of the government? That troubles Sen. Grantham, and it should trouble everyone who holds dear the right of free speech. What really rankled the senator's sensibility was the recent requirement that Gideons obtain a permit and stay within certain zones of the campus for their annual Bible distribution event that has been a tradition for 40 years. That requirement, Sen. Grantham said, "lumped them in with the 4/20ers that are going in and committing crimes." When someone is breaking the law, it's CU's responsibility to see that they are arrested and dealt with by the judicial system. But university officials should not be limiting where people can exercise their fundamental right of free speech. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt