Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression Criticizes Gov. Ron DeSantis' Attack on Free Speech

Statement on orders to Florida public universities to derecognize Students for Justice in Palestine: We must not give politicians more power to suppress our free speech

The government cannot force public colleges to derecognize Students for Justice in Palestine chapters. That's…

— FIRE (@TheFIREorg) October 25, 2023

Statement on orders to Florida public universities to derecognize Students for Justice in Palestine: We must not give politicians more power to suppress our free speech

The government cannot force public colleges to derecognize Students for Justice in Palestine chapters. That's just what State University System of Florida Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, reportedly at the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis, is trying to do.

There's no indication from the chancellor's letter that any action from Florida's Students for Justice in Palestine groups went beyond expression fully protected by the First Amendment. This directive is a dangerous -- and unconstitutional -- threat to free speech. If it goes unchallenged, no one's political beliefs will be safe from government suppression.

FIRE believes higher education can only fulfill its important mission when students can speak their minds. And we'll defend the rights of all Florida's students -- and all Americans -- to speak freely.

Free speech makes free people.

Absolutely pathetic that frauds like this one spent years parading as free speech warriors -- mocking college students who urged protection from views they find threatening -- only to now exploit this war, that is not even an American war! (😲), to seize broad censorship powers: https://t.co/i5k8jpyIY6

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) October 26, 2023

Those victim narratives have seen a huge boost in popularity recently, now defended most vocally by exactly the same people who led the mockery and derision when these victimhood claims, and demands for censorship, were invoked by other minority groups:https://t.co/uNLC8Tn1xI

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) October 26, 2023

This Jewish student at the @UW -- an adult -- was turned into a hero and martyr for weepingly begging a campus administrator to keep her safe by banning a peaceful pro-Palestinian protest.

Imagine the mockery if this were a trans or black or immigrant student doing the same: pic.twitter.com/4SsqKUjJXg

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) October 26, 2023

A ton of pro-censorship replies predictably insisting: no, you don't understand: the views they want to censor are benign and trivial; the view we want banned are hateful and dangerous.

That's what every censor ever said, including the modern-day left-liberal ones you scorn.

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) October 26, 2023

Worse, this is all based on relentless propaganda that all pro-Palestinian protesters aren't defending civilian lives or opposing Israeli occupation.

Now, everyone protesting is "pro-Hamas" and wants another Holocaust: just as every Bush critic after 9/11 was "pro-terrorist." pic.twitter.com/weOv10IDtZ

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) October 26, 2023

Nikki Haley: "Give Israel whatever they need whenever they need it, no questions asked." https://t.co/IsSusy3du9 pic.twitter.com/DsOwiOfUkC

— vincent james (@davincentjames) October 26, 2023