In light of the media spotlight recently put on professor Paul Grosswiler, I feel compelled to remind people about the most important right Americans have, that of free speech.

As a student in Grosswiler’s class, we were discussing this basic and important right. The classroom is a place where opinions and thoughts both of students and professors should be discussed freely and no one should feel like they are being judged, even if the content is controversial. If a person wanted to burn a flag – not that I condone that in any way – isn’t it their right as an American to do so? Even if it is in bad taste and not something that is socially accepted, it is our right.

Maybe that was a bad example to be given, but I feel it was to show how what we say and do, no matter how radical it may be, we are able to do so because of that one basic right, free speech.

Emily Chambers

Old Town