What's Free Is Often Offensive

Scot Lehigh’s column in the Boston Globe addresses the issue of free speech on college campuses, mainly when it’s restrictions go to far. His argument focuses on the University of New Hampshire’s decision to force Timothy Garneau out of his dorm for making a – at worst – tacky poster. You can see the poster here.

Do Americans have the right to live their life free of any offensive images or words? Absolutely not. The line between offensive and non-offensive is so mind-bogglingly broad, it’s impossible to suit everyone. The real kicker is that if the kid had thought to stick a male cartoon character on his poster, next to the woman, there would have been no problem at all. The only reason this poster is different than one that might be up in the college’s health center is because he forgot that guys get fat in college too.