Academic Liberty and Free Speech at Boalt Hall

"I agree with Mike (#14) about why Professor Yoo's actions were legal advice, not academic speech. I signed the first petition, and still stand by it. Professor Yoo and the Bush administration's actions violated the spirit of international law and paved th"

"I support this petition"

"I support this petition"

"I support this petition"

"I support this petition"

"I'm still confused. And I desperately want to understand this because I think at the end of the day, I believe we're on the same side. The petition that demanded Yoo's resignation was circulated before the memo was available to the public, right? So Ander"

"Diversity of thought is to be cherished. Forced assent to a new orthodoxy is authoritarianism in a different cloak."

"I support this petition"

"Okay, forgive my poor choice of words. I take back "reasoned speculation." But a petition and a contract are hardly the same things. A petition does not create any rights or require an action. And, like this petition, people signed on only to certain part"

"Dean Berring's attempt to chill expression that does not rise to his desired level of civility is completely inappropriate. Whither parody?"

"It gives me great, great pleasure to look forward to the evening of November 2nd, knowing that somewhere in the Bay Area Prof. Yoo will be toasting George Bush's re-election, never having apologized to all the leftist scumbags who aren't fit to carry his "

"I support this petition"

"The Boalt community sits on its pedestal claiming a dedication to diversity. Professor Yoo is not only a minority in race, but in political ideology as well. But rather than being celebrated as a tribute to Boalt's diversity, he is ignorantly vilified as "

"I am a Member of Boalt class of '63"

"Here here! I was hoping something like this would come out. Both of the incidents described above upset me greatly, not because of the "offensive" speech but more because of the reactions of the student and faculty. I did not come to this school to see it"

"This is obviously a sensitive topic. It would be best to express our viewpoint without attacking people. Calling people names is hardly going to get them to change their position. Anger and accusations do not promote discourse. Truce?"

"I think the diversity of the already entered speak to the diversity that we need to protect here, besides, those graduation gowns just didn't need yet another accessory."

"I find it ironic that certain segments of the liberal population at Boalt have adopted the same heavy-handed and misguided tactics adopted by the current administration. It's impossible to change the minds of others if you refuse to engage in dialogue wit"

"I support this petition"

"Well done."

"It is interesting that those who believe that POWs should not be tortured are called *flaming liberals*...If that is the case I'd rather be a flaming liberal than approve of torture, inexcusable in any context. Yoo isn't being persecuted because he is a r"

"I support this petition"

"If the only way that John Yoo can keep his job is to publicly assume his detractors viewpoints, how is that demand consistent with the declaration in the anti-Yoo petition that its undersigned fervently believe in a free and open exchange of ideas?"

"I think you are doing a wonderful job Professor and urge you to stay the course. The petition against you is the equivalent of Castro type behavior and it's the reaon that The Boalt Hall School of law is now a laughing stock nation-wide."