How do you feel about this?

[Craig3410]

There's this fundamentalist "preacher" on campus that show up (what used to be) five days a semester, and now the law that kept him from doing so has been struck down on "free speech" rulings.

<i>The UA policy regarding how often individuals or groups of people can speak on campus has been ruled unconstitutional. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals released its ruling Friday.

..

Gary Bowman, also known on campus as "Moses," frequently preaches his religious views on the Union lawn. Bowman's appearances sometimes draw large crowds and create controversy that has led to violent behavior in the past. However, Bowman said he thinks he has a First Amendment right to speak on campus. Bowman thought he should be able to preach on more than five days per semester, and he brought the university to court so that he might be able to do this.

Bowman challenged several aspects of the university policy, said Bill Kincaid, the university general counsel. The court upheld all but one of those issues, he said. The court also "acknowledges using outdoor space in educational ways," he said.

The new court ruling upholds the university's right to require permits and set parameters that people cannot speak around finals week. However, the court wrote that the five day limit per semester was insufficient.</i>


Now, if you ask me, he's just a moneygrubbing fundamentalist moneywhore that spews his far, far, far, FAR right-wing bullshit just so that someone in the university can tell him to STFU and go the hell away, and he then sues the university on free speech grounds. (And the next time someone calls the ACLU "liberal", tell them that they defended this guy in court.) He got $60,000 out of one school.)

One of the many, many college papers LTTEs about him:
Human and hell-bound

Attention all UA students, faculty and staff. If one or more of the following attributes apply to you, Gary "Moses" Bowman has consigned you to hell: drinker, smoker, glutton, breather, hippie, musician, fornicator, sorority member, fraternity member, gay, lesbian, Catholic, Episcopal, Jew, Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, atheist, agnostic, pro-choice, anti-gay marriage amendment, Democratic, Republican, blond, brunette, redhead, hunter, fisher, Harry Potter fan, Lord of the Rings fan, Star Trek fan, Star Wars fan, Wizard of Oz fan, pop music fan, movie fan, Irish, sexually active, couch potato, casual dater, partier, speaker of any language other than English, newspaper or magazine subscriber, tax payer, potty mouth, day sleeper, postal carrier, truck driver, drive-thru window attendant, waitress, mall employee, zoo keeper, basket weaver, songwriter, liquor store clerk, student, unwed mother, single father, foreign car driver, consumer, soldier, judge, lawyer, doctor, professor, lover, hater, indifferent party, dissenter, or human being. Consider yourselves forewarned.

I can be down with that. That's all his opinion, which he is more than welcome to hold and express. What's great about this guy is that he recognizes his right as a living, breathing American citizen to practice free speech, and he makes extensive use of that right. Kudos to Moses for his taking advantage of free expression and the mental fortitude exhibited by his withstanding with a smile the jeers and insults of an audience that at times is quite tough. But what chaps me about him is that he does not recognize that free speech right as held by others.



What some of the rest of the internet says about him:

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=13834

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff180054.htm

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2006/04/free_speech.aspx

http://www.uark.edu/studorg/freepres/news/02082001_unitarians.htm (first paragraph)

[endarkenment]

1. Free speech means tolerance for asshats speeking freely. nt.

[mrcheerful]

2. The price of freedom, allow others to have the same freedom as you want.

If we deny one person his freedom of speech we can't say anything when we lose our right to speak freely. Even when its not something we like or want to hear, especially when those speaking want to deny others their freedoms.

[BOSSHOG]

3. I guess I would be condemned to hell as well

as many of us spent part of our time on campus streaking on Dickson Street back in the fall of 1975 and drinking beer at Roger's Rec and buying Penthouse at Collier's Drug. Funny, I have been a law abiding, tax paying productive (well educated) citizen ever since. I occasionally break out my Uncle Heavy Hog Hat and act silly, that's about the extent of my liberal zaniness.

Don't get too wrapped around the axle because of a lunatic. Go Hogs!

[napi21]

4. If he speaks and nobody attends, he'll go away.

I say let him do his thing. student interst or lack of it will dictate his success of failure.

[Warpy]

5. People who scream insults at strangers and acquaintances alike

should expect an occasional knuckle sandwich as a cost of doing business.

This guy is inciting to riot. Surely there are laws to cover THAT.

[BOSSHOG]

6. The Union Lawn you refer to

where is that? Between the Union and Mullins Library? I don't recall a lawn there. My name is on Senior Walk in front of the Library, Class of 79. We will be driving through Fayetteville next month to get my annual supply of Hog paraphernalia.

[Craig3410]

9. Yep.

On the (usually) left grassy knoll.

Can you PM me your name? I'd like to see it. :)

[Mikimouse]

11. Is this the same guy that sometimes holds court on the..

corner across the street from Kimpell Hall?

[Lars39]

7. Has anyone thought of going to where *he* lives and returning

the favor?

[izzie]

8. Who cares what people say? Let him talk.

In college we used to go down town Boston just to see what they were talking about. It was fun and you my learn something. I wonder if they can still do that in Boston?

[noonwitch]

10. He has the right to free speech

We had those kind of preachers at WMU, along with the Moonies, Krishnas and the Maranathas. Most of the time, they got made fun of by the students, which is also free speech.

Usually, there would be a couple of weeks early in each year when all the big cults were out there recruiting. A few days later, the Gideons would come to campus and distribute free Bibles without preaching. I've always appreciated them for that-they were always such nice old men, and they always expressed their love and concern for the students.