Amendment ASA1-AJR15

LRBs0027/1

PJD:jld:pg

2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE

ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1, TO 2005 ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION 15

February 22, 2005 - Offered by Representative Schneider.

AJR15-ASA1,1,1 Relating to: the speech promoted by Professor Ward L. Churchill.

AJR15-ASA1,1,5 Whereas, Professor Ward Churchill, of the University of Colorado, is scheduled to make a public address at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater about his paper in which he compared the people who died in the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center with bureaucrats of the Nazi regime of Germany; and

AJR15-ASA1,1,7 Whereas, the concept regarding freedom of speech is a bedrock of the democratic form of governance of the United States of America; and

AJR15-ASA1,1,12 Whereas, the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"; and

AJR15-ASA1,2,2 Whereas, the Declaration of Rights, article 1, section 3, of the Wisconsin Constitution states that "Every person may freely speak, write and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right, and no laws shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press"; and

AJR15-ASA1,2,11 Whereas, in 1894, when Professor Richard T. Ely of the Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, was teaching about socialism and the governmental regulation of business and in so doing brought the wrath of public opinion upon himself and at his hearing before the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin, he defended himself by stating that he believes that he "teaches all sides of" an issue, even socialism and the regulation of business, and Professor Ely challenged his students to "think, and to explore all sides of" an issue; the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System stood behind Professor Ely and supported his right to "pursue the limitations of the truth"; and

AJR15-ASA1,2,17 Whereas, the tradition of free and open debate in Wisconsin is cherished by all Wisconsinites in the declaration of academic freedom emblazoned on Bascom Hall that "whatever may be the limitations which travel inquiry elsewhere, we believe that the Great State University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth may be found"; now, therefore, be it

AJR15-ASA1,2,25 Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the Wisconsin legislature supports the right of Professor Churchill to present his beliefs at a public presentation at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and, even though individually members may disagree vehemently with the views and opinions of Professor Churchill, the members will defend the rights of all citizens to speak freely in Wisconsin universities unless they incite riot or engage in libel or slander, in the traditions established in 1894 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System; and, be it further

AJR15-ASA1,3,5 Resolved, That the legislature condemns all those who would refuse to allow any citizen to speak freely and openly to express his or her views on science, religion, politics, philosophy, religion, or any other subject without fear of reprisal or intimidation by being denied access to public institutions or being shouted down or harassed in the presentation of and pursuit of the truth.

AJR15-ASA1,3,6 (End)