CNN.com has a very interesting and informative article that summarizes the emerging debate around the country over to what extent free speech should be allowed on college campuses, in the wake of controversies surrounding campus speeches by liberal commentators/activists such as Michael Moore and most recently, Professor Ward Churchill. As the article explains,

[Conservative-backed efforts to sanction liberals on college campuses have] drawn praise from conservatives (who see Churchill as the kind of lefty loony who typifies the bias of American academia) and scorn from liberals (who view the efforts as an attack on academic freedom). It’s indicative of a broader trend of lawmakers’ chipping away at the traditional insularity of the ivory tower, claiming that universities are out of touch with their communities and spending tax dollars irresponsibly. . .

Minnesota lawmakers last week became the latest to rally to the cause of conservative activist David Horowitz, whose Academic Bill of Rights is meant to rescue students from what the legislators perceive as rampant liberal bias. Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Rhode Island and Tennessee have also started considering bills that would codify Horowitz’s ideas by, say, not allowing students to be punished with a bad grade for their views. Georgia’s senate passed a similar nonbinding resolution last year, while Colorado’s version was withdrawn after state-university administrators signed a pledge to ensure that “political diversity is explicitly recognized and protected. . .

For those on the right, true freedom requires more diversity -- which, to them, means more conservatives in faculty ranks. “If the system were fair,” says Larry Mumper, sponsor of the Ohio bill, “Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity would be tenured professors somewhere.”

I’ve written before on the fact that college faculty overwhelmingly tend to be liberals. But it’s a different issue from trying to proscribe freedom of speech just because it goes against the prevailing conservative Republican climate these days. Conservatives have every right to disagree with and criticize Ward Churchill’s views. But they do not have the right to silence him just because they have political power just waiting to be exercised, or because they lament that college faculty are overwhelmingly liberal.

In other words, politicians (especially those who currently have the bulk of power in this country) need to realize that free speech is a right that belongs to everyone -- liberal or conservative -- not just for those with whom you agree.