While the line between offensive and simply inappropriate can be debated until the end of time, what cannot be debated is an explicit intention. Most people use their free speech to express their beliefs, entertainment, profit, advertisement or as a means for open debate in search of a truth.
There is one category beyond these uses of speech. That speech is recognized as having an explicit intention of offending, or even worse dominating.
Sometimes free speech accidentally becomes offensive depending on the audience, but it carries with it the purpose of expressing something beyond offensive material, such as a belief. Speaking to express belief, even an offensive one, is just. However to speak to explicitly offend is not just.
The practice of enforcing these obligations falls to rule makers. Our government has evolved criteria for offensive speech such as hate speech, pornography, slander and obscenity.
Our school has also developed its own criteria for offensive speech, expanding our consideration to include speech such as racial slurs. My own friend junior year got in just as much trouble as a student who punched him because he used a racial slur after the punch.
Marquette takes a strong stance against deliberate offending. Or does it?
Wednesday, Marquette allowed a group of students to hold an "Animal Rights" barbecue. They were not grilling vegetables. This group of students has this barbecue every year for one purpose, to offend those who care about animal rights.
This explicit intention to offend was made clear by its poster. While there was a quote for animal rights in small print at the bottom, there were pictures of the animals to be eaten. Behind the writing was a large bull's-eye.
One can only conclude that this was thought of as a sadistic joke. A joke that Marquette thinks is funny.
While I am not an animal rights activist, nor do I have contempt for the members or the purpose of the organization that hosted this event, I do have a problem with my school endorsing explicitly offensive speech. This event is not accidentally offensive; no, its primary goal is to offend. No justification can be made for this behavior.
Make no mistake about it, beliefs aside, Marquette should not allow for explicitly offensive speech from its student organizations.
That student organization should fall subject to a conduct board with the minimum penalty being that they suspend further such actions.
Simonson is a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences.