J-Ideas announces fund-raising campaign

Warren Watson, director, announced today the creation of an annual fund-raising campaign to support J-Ideas, Ball State’s scholastic journalism and First Amendment institute.

Parties are invited to give $25 or more to the J-Ideas Foundation to support future activities of the program. Donations are tax deductible. <more>

FIRST VOICES



Little things mean a lot at the Newseum
Indianapolis Star column
by Warren Watson

J-Ideas Director Warren Watson blogs regularly for the Indianapolis Star. Here are his latest offerings:

Ignorance in Palin, Dowd free-speech remarks

The grace period is over from the November presidential election. Now, it's time to review the latest cases of ignorance about the First Amendment and how it fits into our lives. <more>

-Plainfield pays respect to First Amendment

-Banned Books Week

-Palin-tology

-New President must revive Constitution

-Traditional news misses Edwards escapade

-Protesters' rights fenced off

-Social networking pitfalls

-Bad year for traditional news gatherers

-Baseball and the First Amendment

-Principals and the First Amendment

-Remembering a crusader
-Photo ID law bad for voters
-Thoughts from the annual U.S. editors convention
-Need for print journalism remains
-Sunshine:now more than ever
-Mean-spirited fans
-Peter Jennings' legacy
-The First Amendment at the Alamo
-A New museum for news
-Author creates First Amendment 'primer'
-Unlikely First Amendment hero
-Harrison represented Hoosiers proudly
-Online course wraps for the fall
-Religious freedom for all
-Reading is FUN-damental
-Nothing negative
-Blogs grow in influence, but beware of anonymity
-Parent rides the bench after blog posting
-Student journalist's actions serves profession poorly
-Examining free speech online
-Remembering the courageous Elijah Parish Lovejoy

Archive

More First Thoughts: journalism teacher Tom Gayda speaks out

Student journalists scoop professional press

By Gerry Appel

In an era where student journalists are often criticized for poor decision-making, one student newspaper should receive praise after scooping its professional counterparts. <more>

-Principal wrong in pulling paper

Mile high with the First Amendment...

By Randy Swikle

We were north of the Mile High City near the Rocky Mountains. The principals were voluntarily descending—not from the tall peaks but from their position abutting the summit of school hierarchy. When they reached level ground, we could see each other more clearly. And clear sight leads to insight. <more > 

Warren Watson

First Thoughts

Nov. 20, 2008

Ignorance in Palin, Dowd free-speech remarks

The grace period is over from the November presidential election. Now, it's time to review the latest cases of ignorance about the First Amendment and how it fits into our lives.

Enter Sarah Palin, the unsuccessful candidate for vice president as part of the John McCain ticket.

Palin is as ignorant about the nuances of the First Amendment as 99 out of every 100 Americans, according to ongoing studies about the nation's civic health.

In the days leading up to the voting, Palin told a radio talk show host that it was not negative politicking when she criticized President-Elect Barack Obama for his associations with 1960s radical Bill Ayers and clergyman Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Instead she said journalists threatened her free speech rights by pointing out that she was going negative.

Oh come on! Calling all civics teachers. Gov. Palin, the First Amendment bars government from abridging free speech rights. Not the other way around.

Not to be accused of being partisan. Columnist Maureen Dowd needs a lesson too, as she complained that her First Amendment rights were being violated by the McCain campaign's refusal to allow her on its campaign plane.

We have a long way to go. Only 56 percent of Americans can identify free speech as one of the five freedoms guaranteed under the First Amendment. Smaller percentages can name the other freedoms.

Palin and Dowd should be ashamed at their lack of knowledge about the most important plank of our Bill of Rights. Let's send them both back to school.