Jacksonville, AL –The JSU press office revealed that JSU’s American Democracy Project JSU American Democracy Project is joined forces in conjunction with Judge Frank Johnson Institute to organize an open and bipartisan Free Speech Forum featuring a panel of prominent legal experts on October. 3 from 6-8 p.m. at the 11th floor of the Houston Cole Library. This event will be free and is open to all members of the public.
The panelists include
- HTML0 is the name of a former US Senator, and Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange who was able to win an issue of free speech in the US Supreme Court, Lane v. Franks, in 2014.
- Prof. Bryan Fair, a First Amendment law expert at the University of Alabama School of Law and an official of the Southern Poverty Law Center.
- Prof. Allen Linken, political science professor who is a professor of Constitutional laws in the University of Alabama and former US Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer.
- US District Judge Keith Watkins, who was appointed in 2005 by president George W. Bush in 2005. He was promoted as chief judge 2011, and was elevated to senior status in the year the year 2019. He is an official of Judge Frank Johnson Institute. Judge Frank Johnson Institute.
Discussion will be led by Dr. Lori Owens, chair of the JSU American Democracy Project committee and dean of Honors and Special Programs, and Thomas Rains, executive director of the Judge Frank Johnson Institute. To ensure as many questions are included in the discussion as possible, moderators request questions be pre-submittedanonymously by noon on Sept. 15 for possible inclusion. The topics suggested are:
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The importance of free Speech
- Particularly, Free Speech Situations
- Speech that is protected and unprotected
- Hate Speech, Offensive Speech/Paradox of Tolerance
- Freedom of Speech Rights for staff, faculty and Administrators
- Free Speech Rights for Students
- The freedom of Speech in the Workplace
- Self-censorship at the University or in the Workplace
- The Social Media as well as Free Speech
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Free speech and False Information
- Safe Spaces
- Symbolic Speech
- Trigger alerts
- Inciteful speech
- Disruption of Campus Activities and Classes
- Pronouns and free Speech
- Shadow Banning Online
The project was established in 2007 and The American Democracy Project at JSU is a non-political and cooperative effort of faculty, students administrators, staff and other members to encourage civic engagement in the JSU community. All people from all walks of life are invited to join forces to promote conversations, civic engagement and opportunities for service.
Alongside In addition to Dr. Owens, the committee includes Dr. Teresa Reed, English and The Dr. Ben Gross, Political Science; Andy Green, Honors and Special Programs; Brady Drake, Honors and Special Programs; Macie Spears, Financial Aid; Kim Westbrooks, Library; Dakota Heathcock, the Registrar’s Office. Albertha Grant, City of Jacksonville.
To find out more concerning this project, click here. American Democracy Project, and to inquire about opportunities to make a difference to the project, please get in touch with Owens via 256-782-869. ljowens@jsu.edu.
