NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 12, 2014
Information Contact: Geoffrey Talmon (208) 258-2280 ext. 213
The Idaho Freedom Foundation’s Center for Defense of Liberty has reached an agreement with Boise State University concerning the university’s First Amendment policies.
Beginning in late June, the Center expressed its concerns with several speech policies the university was enforcing, specifically relating to the Center’s client, Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) at Boise State University.
YAL brought a speaker, Dick Heller, to the campus to discuss his successful lawsuit challenging a gun registration law in Washington, D.C., and to express his support for Second Amendment gun rights.
YAL was charged an additional $465 for security purposes, information about the event was removed from BSU websites and literature was denied approval.
The Supreme Court of the United States in a 5-4 decision in 2008 in the Heller case held that the Second Amendment applies to federal enclaves and protects an individual’s right to possess a firearm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.
Geoffrey Talmon, director for the Center for Defense of Liberty, said he is happy to come to an agreement with BSU. “Our goal throughout this process has been to work with the university to revise some of its policies. We are happy BSU is working with us and ACLU of Idaho to make the university a place where speech is protected and encouraged.”
Talmon believes the revised policies will be an example for other universities to follow. “One of the reasons we are excited for BSU to work with us on these policies is to set a standard for campuses throughout the country,” Talmon said. “BSU will be a benchmark of free speech when this process is complete, and that’s great for everyone.”
The agreement letter to revise the policies can be found on the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s website.
Click HERE to view the agreement letter.
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