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Texas A&M suspended professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Patrick in lecture

texastribune.org

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Re: Texas A&M suspended professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Patrick in lecture

#21

Post by kevingadd »

pityJuke wrote: post #14

As Nilay Patel from the Verge put it [1] >Your regular reminder that the biggest threat to free speech is the government. > Complaining about social platforms moderating content according to their whims is just how politicians distract you from how fast they’ve all gotten sick of the First Amendment. This story is outrageous — no one will even say what this professor allegedly said that was so offensive! [1]: https:/…

Is that really the right takeaway here? Do you think a private university based in Texas wouldn't have done the same thing?

Re: Texas A&M suspended professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Patrick in lecture

#22

Post by jxramos »

colechristensen wrote: post #19
pityJuke wrote: post #14

As Nilay Patel from the Verge put it [1] >Your regular reminder that the biggest threat to free speech is the government. > Complaining about social platforms moderating content according to their whims is just how politicians distract you from how fast they’ve all gotten sick of the First Amendment. This story is outrageous — no one will even say what this professor allegedly said that was so offensive! [1]: https:/…

>Your regular reminder that the biggest threat to free speech is the government. The only thing the first amendment protects you from is the government.

that is an excellent point, it's kind of a distraction to drag in extraneous protections that don't apply, namely speech between citizenry. There is a government focus to the amendments that's worth keeping foremost in mind. Your statement helps me to keep this understanding in the foreground which I don't always do all the time.

Re: Texas A&M suspended professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Patrick in lecture

#23

Post by tick_tock_tick »

pityJuke wrote: post #14

As Nilay Patel from the Verge put it [1] >Your regular reminder that the biggest threat to free speech is the government. > Complaining about social platforms moderating content according to their whims is just how politicians distract you from how fast they’ve all gotten sick of the First Amendment. This story is outrageous — no one will even say what this professor allegedly said that was so offensive! [1]: https:/…

> Your regular reminder that the biggest threat to free speech is the government.

Absolute though it crosses over with social platforms alot. There is currently an injunction against the Biden administration to stop them from instructing social platform on what to censor.

Re: Texas A&M suspended professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Patrick in lecture

#24

Post by ceejayoz »

colechristensen wrote: post #19
pityJuke wrote: post #14

As Nilay Patel from the Verge put it [1] >Your regular reminder that the biggest threat to free speech is the government. > Complaining about social platforms moderating content according to their whims is just how politicians distract you from how fast they’ve all gotten sick of the First Amendment. This story is outrageous — no one will even say what this professor allegedly said that was so offensive! [1]: https:/…

>Your regular reminder that the biggest threat to free speech is the government. The only thing the first amendment protects you from is the government.

The First Amendment is only one aspect in one country of free speech, though.

Re: Texas A&M suspended professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Patrick in lecture

#25

Post by justin66 »

How weirdly fragile and vindictive do you have to be to initiate a formal complaint against a guest lecturer for making an observation about public policy you think is off-base? How lame do you have to be to even know how to do that, and to do it so fast that the lecturer heard about it when she got home?

Re: Texas A&M suspended professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Patrick in lecture

#26

Post by Animats »

Crackdowns on free speech are increasing worldwide. Afghanistan, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Florida, Texas...

Israel just reached the using fire hoses on protestors level.[1]

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/25/world/middleeast/israel-j...

Re: Texas A&M suspended professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Patrick in lecture

#27

Post by ceejayoz »

vxNsr wrote: post #18
pityJuke wrote: post #14

As Nilay Patel from the Verge put it [1] >Your regular reminder that the biggest threat to free speech is the government. > Complaining about social platforms moderating content according to their whims is just how politicians distract you from how fast they’ve all gotten sick of the First Amendment. This story is outrageous — no one will even say what this professor allegedly said that was so offensive! [1]: https:/…

Exactly which is why it’s a huge problem when the tech companies act in lock step with government officials.

It'd be a huge First Amendment problem if tech companies weren't permitted to agree with the government.

Re: Texas A&M suspended professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Patrick in lecture

#28

Post by bachmeier »

ceejayoz wrote: post #7
Regnore wrote: post #5

What are the laws around the government punishing government employees for criticizing the government? I'm not an expert but it doesn't really seem like a first amendment issue although I think most would agree that the government shouldn't be punishing its own employees for conduct like this.

This one'd probably hinge on whether the comment was "made pursuant to the employee's job duties". In chronological order: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickering_v._Board_of_Educatio... establishes a "right to speak on issues of public importance" for public employees. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garcetti_v._Ceballos limits that right when statements are "made pursuant to his position as a public employee". https:…

I'd be interested to hear how this could fall under the second classification. The professor in this case wasn't even working directly with the politician.

Re: Texas A&M suspended professor accused of criticizing Lt. Gov. Patrick in lecture

#30

Post by wolverine876 »

patmorgan23 wrote: post #12
Regnore wrote: post #5

What are the laws around the government punishing government employees for criticizing the government? I'm not an expert but it doesn't really seem like a first amendment issue although I think most would agree that the government shouldn't be punishing its own employees for conduct like this.

IIRC public universities are state actors and thus have to follow certain frost amendment restrictions. Professors at state universities are state employees and you can't fire a state employee for criticizing an elected official.

In which state is that law?
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