Oppose and Vote NO on H.R. 2057, an attack on Students First Amendment Rights

congress Today I take pen in hand to write and urge you in the strongest possible terms to Oppose and Vote NO on H.R. 2057, a bill that seeks to carve chunks out of students First Amendment rights on college and university campuses. The First Amendment is quite clear on what constitutes protected speech, and our fundamental right to peacefully assemble and voice dissent. Yet this bill aims at any opinion that is unpopular to the current Administration. Part of the proposed text says: “Taxpayers are forced to subsidize woke faculty and administrators” The writers of this bill are exploiting the First Amendment to promote their own hateful slogans, but disallow others. Clearly an unconstitutional bill, and the three Republican sponsors of this bill are clearly not supporting the US Constitution, or are completely unaware of what it means. Public protests and demonstrations play a vital role in our democracy by allowing individuals to raise awareness about important issues and call for change. It is imperative that law enforcement respects this constitutionally-protected freedom of speech and does not unduly restrict or suppress peaceful protests through excessive force, surveillance, or onerous permit requirements. That’s the real danger here: This bill would widen the interpretation of what’s acceptable and what’s not, allowing force to be used in even more illegal ways. The ACLU outlines what colleges and universities can do, and can require permits and restrictions to public spaces. However, this bill would restrict people further. From the ACLU “Know Your Rights”: “Universities and colleges have long been sites of protest, particularly anti-war protests. It is important that higher education remains an open space for students, faculty, and staff to exchange ideas and express themselves.” Without the ability to openly express grievances in the public square, societal progress would grind to a halt. Protecting free speech and the right to peacefully assemble strengthens our democracy. Again, oppose and Vote NO on H.R. 2057, the deceptively named “Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act”