Posted by Eugene Volokh:
Vandalism of Pro-Life Display by University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Student Government Official:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2008_05_04-2008_05_10.shtml#1210270338
The [1]Wausau Daily Herald has details; [2]YouTube has video, which
seems consistent with the Wausau article. The display was an array of
crosses aimed at symbolizing the deaths of aborted fetuses.
For confirmation that the vandal (Roderick King) was a Student
Senator, see [3]here. The vandal's rationale:
In 1973 it was made a Constitutional right for a woman to have an
abortion. It's not your responsibility. Since it's a right, you
don't have the right to challenge it.... Do not put this [display]
in front of all of us ... it is not your right.
I'd like to hear what actions the university or the student senate
will take against Senator King for his vandalism.
Note, incidentally, that it appears that the use of the university's
property for the exhibit had indeed been authorized by the university.
(Even if the parklike area on university property was a traditional
public forum in which speech had to be allowed, or a designated public
forum that the university opened up for speech, it's likely that the
university could bar installations planted in the ground -- but it
appears that the university did not impose any such content-neutral
limitation.) Thanks to my friend [4]Prof. Rick Garnett (PrawsBlawg,
Mirror of Justice) for the pointer.
References
1.
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080502/WDH0101/805020560/1981
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5NeLyMZUYM
3. http://www.uwsp.edu/stuorg/sga/senate.html
4. http://prawfsblawg.blogs.com/
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