Redstate

Surely you're not trying to tell me that trailing someone with a video camera is a constitutional right. Sounds more like harassment to me.

But precedent seems to indicate that video taping a professor, a public official on campus, public property is protected speech.

--Nick
www.RightMichigan.com

over this entire episode. I cut off my personal funding to CMU a while ago -- this latest episode proves me right.

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Considering where the good doctor's head was, when practicing medicine, is it any wonder that the man has issues?

My letter (to all trustees):

Mr. Jeffrey Caponigro, Chair
Board of Trustees,
Central Michigan University

Dear Mr. Caponigro,

I am writing this email as an expression of both dismay and outrage that freedom of political speech is under assault at CMU; specifcially, pertaining to one Dennis Lennox. It is my understanding that one of your recently installed faculty, Gary Peters, is running for congress; and that Mr. Lennox was utilizing his Constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms to hold Mr. Peters accountable. It is also my understanding that the campus faculty has been much-less-than gracious in allowing Mr. Lennox his Constitutionally guaranteed First Amendment freedoms; and it is my understanding that Dean Pamela Gates went so far as to physically assault Lennox when he tried to serve a FOIA request for records relating to Peters. And it is likewise my understanding that CMU has now banned video cameras in the commons areas and other public areas of campus to prevent opportunities for due scrutiny?

Mr. Caponigro, I must ask you, is this truly how a University, supposedly built upon the free expression of thought and ideas, conducts its affairs?

Seeing as how the First Amendment is primarily and necessarily geared toward freedom of political speech, I would think it sacrosanct that you protect all forms of political speech; even those you don't agree with.

I call on you to forthwith cease the harrassment of Mr. David Lennox, and reinstate an open political environment on the campus of CMU.

The Soviet Union and their tactics died at the collapse of the Berlin Wall.

And dead, they must remain.

Sincerely,

Leo Pusateri
656 Roosevelt Road
St. Cloud, MN 56301

Couple of quick things. Peters is running for a public office somewhere? If so then videotaping him at public events where he is campaigning or fundraising seems fine to me. In fact I believe a lot of campaigns do this regularly now but I'm pretty sure you've never seen any of them actually ask a question. Videotaping him lecturing a class that the student was enrolled in might be OK as well if the college allows that but I believe most don't allow video.

Does videotaping him at work the rest of the time cross the line? The fact that he teaches at a public school and thus on public grounds appears to be OK with you. If I own 1 share in GM can I goto Detroit and start videotaping the CEO in his office? He works for me right? How about my Mayor? Heck, it's illegal to videotape the police (on your own property no less!) in lots of places and you'd think that should be a constitutional right just to prove they aren't misusing their power!

I'd be fine with someone trying to interview or ask questions one or two times, but every day? If I started following a person walking around on campus every day and constantly asking questions of them that would be harassment. I only have your characterization to go on, but you said that is what he has been doing. To me, that's not right. I'm not sure what the legal line is, but I'm pretty sure we left the do unto others bit way back there.

In a twist, if I just walked around videotaping a specific girl for days on end without permission I'd probably get arrested for stalking!

I'm not saying CMU, etc hasn't handled this well, but this guy appears to have crossed the line into harassment based on the little I know.

I have a couple of questions:

Has this guy with the videotape actually unearthed evidence of this person doing anything wrong? Or is it just a suspicion he has that's made him wander around the campus with a video tape? And, if so, what's the basis for this suspicion other than the fact that his arch nemesis is, y'know, a "regressicrat" or whatever you're calling them these days? I mean, I'm just saying that you've not said either here or in the email you sent me that you have any evidence Peters has broken the law, just that this guy wants to videotape him everywhere and make sure he doesn't.

Also, given this guy isn't even in Congress yet, is this really the most pressing danger to the constitution that you can see in the USA? With all the expansions in federal government power over the last four years, this is the thing that really gets your gander up?

I mean, hey, if EvenTheLiberal ACLU say this guy has a free speech case, he probably does, right? So, what the hey, I'll support that, just like I support freedom of speech cases involving the KKK. People have a constitutional right to say any damn fool thing that pops into their head, and they have a constitutional right to behave like complete assholes. It's a right worth defending. But I'd be wary about shackling myself to the belief that this guy is entirely on the side of right and that all those who object to his antics are just mean old poopyheads, just on the offchance that he has crossed the line from annoying to harassment. If this, like the ACLU's position, is entirely about freedom of speech and nothing more then I think you're right to support it. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't suspicious that it had at least a little something to do with RedState's editors buying into David Horowitz's attempt to become this decade's Lyndon LaRouche, and making an assumption that "liberal college professors" are bad people who act in bad faith.

Heck, it's illegal to videotape the police (on your own property no less!) in lots of places

I'm betting that the unconstitutionality of such laws could be proven if challenged, and they'd be struck down.

Locally, there was a case of an off-duty policeman calling an anti-abortion protester who was being obnoxious with her fetus-poster a "fat blanking cow" and he lost his job. Her picture was in the paper and it seems he was merely being precise in his use of language.

It's bad enough when there is an authoritarian attack on our Rights. It seems somehow worse when the attack comes from political correctness.

Is Dennis Lennox also running for office?

Also, at school yesterday I learned that the freedom of speech, press, et cetera are actually negative rights. Now, what was explained to me is this: That the state cannot abridge, or prevent you from taking part in these activities, but after you have committed them and they are harmful to the state, the state can punish you. They just can't take pre-emptive action against you. I don't know how much truth that statement holds in reality, I do go to liberal academia in Seattle.

Anyways, here is what I wrote to all of the Board of Trustees. While I wasn't wildly on Lennox's side ( didn't want to completely rule out that he may have other motives, but I certainly didn't attack him), I made sure that each one of these members understands that CMU and employees thereof are in turn, employees of the state. I really tried to make it more compelling, but it's really too obvious for me, I don't know how these people can even be serious about their attacks on Lennox:

To Whom It May Concern,

Gary Peters is running for public office. I hear Dennis Lennox may be as well. While I’m sure both candidates are politicizing extensively on your campus, please do not let either candidate be taking advantage of the school for political gain. That is, please consider the violation that the school will be responsible for if Mr. Peters is allowed to run his campaign from his professional office at the University. I will not attempt to make any judgment of character over either of the persons of subject, but please, do not allow a professor of a state institution to exploit his position and influence to gain a public office. While it would be beneficial to CMU to have a public officer hail from their own campus, it wreaks with treachery to the democratic system.

By letting Mr. Peters abuse his power as a professor at CMU, the college is allowing democracy to fail. Hitler never had the popular votes to become Chancellor of Germany, and the only reason he got the job was because the German leaders entered into a series of back-room deals. Some claim that Hitler's rise was nonetheless legal under the German system. The problem is that what was "legal" under the German system would not be considered legal under a truer and better-working democracy.

Will you let CMU violate democracy? Maybe you don’t know how CMU is committing this crime. Let me explain.

First, CMU is a state institution. It is subsidized by the state. Employees of CMU are in turn, employees of the State. The State is funded by taxpayer dollars. CMU is funded by taxpayer dollars. By allowing Mr. Peters to take part in any action that will propel him in the polls—whether it be letting him use school phones or computers to market himself, or letting him preach his platform in a classroom, undermines democracy. It gives him an unfair advantage over any other candidate. You might be thinking, “Well, he’s from our school, and we want him to be elected.” However true this may be, it is what one can consider a “backdoor” deal, and also violates Campaign Finance laws.

Second, it’s been pointed out that students such as Dennis Lennox have tried to bring this situation to light of the public, very successfully, in fact. Prohibiting him from publicizing this, as an institution of the State, is a violation of the constitution.

The State cannot prohibit free speech, free assembly, or petitions. If Mr. Lennox points out what he perceives as wrongs of the State, and the State (CMU) prohibits his action, CMU is violating the constitution. However, Mr. Peters, can also have his free speech, assembly, and petitioning power, as long as he is not under contract or employ of the State while doing so. Employees of the State do not have the same perceived rights as the commonwealth. Doing such would be akin to buying public office, which is what Hitler did.

So please, take into consideration these facts when you discuss Mr. Lennox and Mr. Peters on Thursday. Keep in mind that they are both politicians. Keep in mind that one is an employee of the state. Keep in mind that one of them may benefit CMU more. But also keep in mind, that the integrity of democracy is a higher ideal to strive for, and not the political well being of CMU. Uphold democracy, uphold the Constitution.

Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but also as a determination to live decently.