Posted On: Thursday, February 18th, 2010 at 10:24 am
Outrage of the Week
There are human rights, privacy rights, civil rights, and cyber rights. The list goes on and on. Binghamton University in upstate New York, added genital rights to the tally.
Touted as the “hottest party” on BU’s campus, the Women’s Center got down and dirty with special guest Michele Carmody and her treasure chest of sex toys. What was the special occasion you ask? Why, come on—it was in celebration of “Masturbation Awareness Month!”
Students were encouraged to bring “alotta cash” for the plethora of “toys” that would be sold. And of course, they were expected to check their closed minds at the door. Sexual expression will have none of that.
For the faint at heart the University promised that it would closely “monitor the activities” and provided “participants with copies of New York state law regarding obscenity.” It expected the organizers to abide by the laws.
How can something so crude be so condoned? Free speech. “As a public university, Binghamton must abide by the federal and state laws regarding freedom of expression and speech as guaranteed under the United States Constitution, even though some members of the community may find these activities offensive and inappropriate,” in a statement from the University.
But Candace de Russy, a Trustee at the State University of New York has got a good point. “This is yet another sad example of vulgar and debased campus academic and moral standards. If Binghamton’s president is so concerned with rights of free speech, she should exercise her own such freedom and join me in criticizing this outrage.”
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