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
Oct. 7, 2008
First Thoughts
Banned Books Week

Last week was national Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read. I missed it altogether. Somehow I didn’t get the memo, I guess.

But I do get the message of the American Library Association (ALA), which founded the event in 1982. Banning books is an assault on the First Amendment – and our own sensibilities.

The First Amendment protects popular speech. But most importantly, it protects unpopular speech. Over the years, narrow-minded interests, seeking to protect young minds from the full range of ideas available in our enduring democracy, have sought censorship of books and other materials. Ideas fuel our way of life. They show the full range of our culture and heritage.

Among the books that have appeared on the ALA’s list of top 10 challenged books: Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” and Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple.” Topping the list for the third straight year was “And Tango Makes Three,” a children’s book about two penguins raising their baby.

Even though the event has passed, Banned Books Week remains a good time to remember the emancipating power of free expression.