By Brittany Everett
Jonathan Jones, Director of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition and Sunshine Center, talked to Chuck Stone Scholars about media law on July 8, 2014.
Jones teaches at Elon University and has experience working as a District Attorney. During his presentation, Jones focused on cases and scenarios involving the first amendment. The first amendment contains five freedoms: speech, press, religion, petition and assembly.
During the presentation, Jones mentioned a 2013 Newseum Institute survey that said 47% of 18-30 year olds think that the First Amendment goes too far.
“It’s disappointing and a bit scary,” Jones said.
He cited the 1998 Supreme Court Case, Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, as a potential factor in the attitude of the younger generation toward the first amendment. The case dealt with school officials censoring high school journalist’s work. “I believe the authority may schools exert over students has created a generation that is uncomfortable questioning authority,” Jones said.
Jones cites Sept.11 as a massive societal shift away from independence and toward collective safety. Jones also introduces cyber bullying as a factor.
“These young people have also had to deal with the new phenomenon of cyber bullying, which is very different from the types of bullying that previous generations experienced,” Jones said.
He said all of these factors contribute to making young people less willing to tolerate speech that makes them feel uncomfortable.
“We look at the government like we want it to protect us,” Jones said.
Chuck Stone participant and rising senior Courtney Edwards said she really enjoyed Jones’ presentation.
“The statistics were surprising because I thought more people would be more accepting of the first amendment,” Edwards said
Diego Pineda, Chuck Stone 2014 scholar and rising senior, said he thinks the amendment does go too far because there needs to be some restrictions.
“I feel it’s because we feel that too much freedom leads to disaster and chaos,” Pineda said.
He also said he feels that if citizens were able to decrease the freedom and put more restrictions on the law, then the next generation might be safer.
“We’re just afraid to be free,” Pineda said.