RESOLUTION 150

A RESOLUTION TO BE ENTITLED

An act to urge the administration to immediately cease all attempts to restrict the rights of the band, clubs, and the student body to express themselves through free speech at sporting events and all other venues

WHEREAS,   North Carolina State University has a long and proud history fielding competitive teams with outstanding fans in the Atlantic Coast Conference; and,

WHEREAS,   Wolfpack fans have long been supportive of the teams representing North Carolina State University, and year after year create a supportive atmosphere at home games for our athletic teams; and,

WHEREAS,   for many years Wolfpack fans have also created a hostile atmosphere for opposing teams and players, often rattling them from their game; and,

WHEREAS,   Wolfpack basketball fans became known as the “Reynolds Rowdies”, later imitated by the “Cameron Crazies”, and year after year made North Carolina State a difficult place to play for opposing teams; and,

WHEREAS,   members of the Student Body were strongly criticized in several media outlets were criticized for a chant targeted towards a UNC player that was deemed by some to be “untasteful”; and,

WHEREAS,   Technician columnist Andrew Carter strongly criticized these chants in the Technician and other media outlets; and,

WHEREAS,   Jose Picart, Vice Provost for Diversity and African-American Affairs responded in the Technician on Wednesday, March 3, 2004 to “applaud” Andrew Carter’s message; and,

WHEREAS,   Vice Provost Picart stated that he has “always been bothered by some of the sophomoric cheers emanating from the student section.”; and,

WHEREAS,   Picart particularly criticized the “STD” chant, although he admitted that he did not personally hear it at the game; and,

WHEREAS,   Picart also criticized the “You Suck” chant, commonly chanted during the “Hey Song”, stating that it was in “particularly bad taste”, “disrespectful to other teams”, and “embarrassing.”; and,

WHEREAS,   other students had signs revoked for content deemed marginally offensive; and,

WHEREAS,   other students were told not to express “offensive”, albeit unvulgar statements by arena staff reporting to the university or risk being ejected; and,

WHEREAS,   there is often no clear line between taunting and social commentary; and,

WHEREAS,   public venues may serve as a venue to promote common values, as a “no means no” chant may serve to criticize rape, and “STD” to promote safe sex; and,

WHEREAS,   a public university such as North Carolina State should promote free speech as a “marketplace of ideas”, and serve as a venue for civil discourse; and,

WHEREAS,   while some speech may be regarded as “embarrassing” or in “bad taste”, attempting to define that is hopeless, and prohibiting it is both hopeless and reprehensible; and,

WHEREAS,   tolerance is a value critical for anyone hoping to promote the cause of diversity; and,

WHEREAS,   an important element in diversity is diversity of opinion; and,

WHEREAS,   promoting tolerance by being intolerant of what one deems in “bad taste” is hypocritical and frustrates the cause of diversity; and,

WHEREAS,   this brand of authoritarian totalism smacks of purism, the antithesis of diversity; and,

WHEREAS,   censorship has long been a risky proposition, and threatens to exclude the views of minorities and powerless majorities in the name of preventing “obscenity”; and,

WHEREAS,   without freedom to offend, no true freedom of expression exists; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED,  that the North Carolina State University Student Senate strongly urges the Administration and particularly the Office of Diversity and African-American Affairs to actively promote free speech and avoid quashing statements deemed to be “in bad taste.”  Therefore, be it further

RESOLVED,  that the North Carolina State University Student Senate urges the upper Administration to avoid giving the perception of micromanaging the Band in the future.