Freedom of Religion

At first I was shocked at how small the percentages were on who knew what the first amendment stood for. Only 60% know that the first amendment garantees the freedom of speech and only 6% of the population know that they have the right to petition. Then if 94% of America dont know that they have the right to petition and give their opinions, then how can the country prosper when our government is based around citizens speaking their mind.
Then I read about evolution and the controversy of whether or not it should be taught in schools. If it was taught, it would give children a different veiw than what thier religion might have told them. This could upset some students and their beliefs. Acording to the seperation of church and state there shall not be any religion taught in school. Therefore, evolution infringes on the peoples freedom of religion and cannot be taught.

9/11 Issues

There is almost no reason why the building should not be built. If it were to be refused then it would inhibit their first amendment of freedom of religion. In my opinion we should build it and work with the Muslims to create an understanding of each other. As of today if someone asked the American race what comes to mind when someone says Muslim, the answer would definitely be the terrorist hijackings. Commonly, if we were to ask an Iraqi or Afghan what comes to mind when they hear American, the answer would surely be something destructive and powerful. There is no doubt that the understanding of each others culture is extremely limited. This new building would give us a much better understanding of the Muslims. It would also show them that we are not just a conquering nation but are also accepting of other religions and peoples. However, some do say that this would only invite violence and rallies from New Yorkers who were scared from 9/11. Was there not violence and rallies in front of the Little Rock School when the Little Rock nine broke the color barrier? Change is hard but it is necessary. Some people say that building it would be a disgrace to the families who lost their loved ones in the war or on 9/11. If we do not build this building and restore the peace with the Muslims then I believe their lives would have been taken in vain. Why would they want to feel like no change has occurred from this incident. They would want their deaths to mean something and overcome social barriers and prejudice in order to make peace each other.

Speech Codes

I am interested in speech codes in the fact that they are effective in upholding the safety and keeping a good learning environment. It seems reasonable to me for universities to inhibit the rights of students in the best interest of the greater good. Hate speech intended to physically or emotionally harm someone should be unprotected speech and in my opinion should be restricted. However, if an issue seems offensive it should not be restricted. Offensive and hate speech are two very different forms of speech. Offensive speech can be meaningful like the burning of the American flag or the superiority of the white race. However, dressing up as blacks with nooses around your neck running around scaring people is not a meaningful speech and should not be protected.