Recently an editorial appeared in my alma mater West Virginia University’s student newspaper the Daily Athenaeum, calling for the censorship of certain speech. One of our most precious rights in America is the right to free speech. It is a fundamental tenant of a free society. It is why so many people want to come here and live. Unfortunately there has been a movement by the left to redefine and limit free speech. Free speech now must now be constrained by shackles of diversity. The writer was offended by a speaker, Tyler Herrinton, who spoke about his religious beliefs. I never heard of this guy and did not hear him speak. I am not defending him but his right to say what he believes. It seems as though he has violated the new rules of free speech. It is acceptable to speak out against Christians and Jews, and conservatives and whites but we must not speak against Muslims, the religion of Islam, gays or minorities.

It is ironic that college campuses, formerly hotbeds of free speech, are now places where free speech is restricted. There is no outcry when our government funds “art” like the “Piss Christ”, which is very offensive to Christians. There is no outcry when the New Black Panthers state that they want to eliminate the white race or when Al Sharpton calls white people “crackers” or Jews “diamond dealers”. And Muslims have so terrified the world that no one can speak out against terrorists’ attacks for fear of insulting their religious beliefs. College campuses welcome terrorists like Bill Ayers to speak but they throw stuff at conservatives like Ann Coulter if they are invited to speak and call for the school to ban speakers who don’t follow their politically correct ideals.

The writer frames her call for selective censorship under the tired cloth of diversity. Diversity is a good thing when it is a natural outcome of a free society. It is not a good thing when forced upon a society. College campuses should be a place for listening to all ideas, not just those on the left side of the political spectrum.