Signers Say ‘Princeton Principles’ Up the Ante on Campus Free Speech

By Marisa Warman Hirschfield ‘27

“Universities should follow the First Amendment, period. That’s it. That’s the framework.”

Legal scholar Cass R. Sunstein shared this message with over a hundred people in McCosh 50 during his “Free Speech On Campus” lecture. The James Madison Program hosted Sunstein, a Harvard law professor, on September 17th in celebration of Constitution Day. Attendees received a free copy of Sunstein’s 2023 book How to Interpret the Constitution upon entering. Adults comprised most of the audience with some undergraduate students scattered throughout the lecture hall. I attended in my capacity as a ’24-’25 Writing Fellow for Princetonians for Free Speech, an alumni group that offers many opportunities for student involvement.

Julie Bonette
Princeton Alumni Weekly

Excerpt: The two pro-Palestinian protesters who were arrested on Princeton’s campus for attempting to set up tents in the spring pleaded guilty and received suspended fines on Oct. 1, but Judge John McCarthy III ’69 denied the same deal to the first of the Clio Hall occupiers appearing in Princeton Municipal Court.

Hope Perry
Princeton Alumni Weekly

Excerpt: Stickers and flyers with hate messages have been found on campus in recent weeks, prompting the University to open investigations and remind the campus community of its role in addressing harassment.

Princeton Public Safety opened an investigation into a bias incident against Palestinians in early September when about 30 flyers printed with the phrases “Nuke Gaza” and “Kill Roaches” were found on a walkway near Spelman Hall. Several weeks later, on Sept. 28, multiple stickers were found scattered across campus on stop signs and bulletin boards with anti-Israel messages, including “Death to ‘Israel’” and “Tel-Aviv [sic] will Burn.”