DiMauro is an idiot, plain and simple. Apparently at BC they don’t teach that the First Amendment protects political speech and it only applies to government. In other settings it really doesn’t apply. So I can say Bob Stepanowski is a fool or has no rational policies, or the Governor is a fool or has no rational policies, and no government agency can take any action against me. But if I say those same things at the Stepanowski’s family picnic or the Lamont family Sunday dinner, it would be perfectly acceptable and completely legal for Lamonts and the Stepanowskis to ask me to leave and never again darken their door. Now one can argue about the logic of such a decision. But it isn’t a 1st Amendment issue. Last I knew, UHar is a private institution. If it wishes to make rules for its institution, however misguided, that is clearly not a 1st Amendment issue either. One could argue it is misguided, ham handed or contrary to the notion of academic freedom inherent in a university. But none of those are covered by the First Amendment. And honestly, I can almost see how asking athletes not to boo the President so as not to take away from the day for other graduates might be a fine thing to request and a fine thing for graduating athletes to respect. On the other hand, how they did it was indeed hamhanded.
Was the President booed?
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