As part of a demonstration from Turning Point USA, students were able to write whatever they wanted on what the organization called a "free speech ball."
It was difficult to miss the enormous beach ball covered in writing outside Baker Center on Thursday.
As part of a demonstration from Turning Point USA, students were able to write whatever they wanted on what the organization called a "free speech ball."
Writings from students on the ball included the text of the First Amendment, comments about presidential candidates and popular online campaigns such as "#freethenipple."
“Turning Point USA is a nonprofit organization focused on individual liberties, limited government and free markets,” Phalen Kuckuck, a senior studying criminology and political science and an Ohio Field Director for Turning Point USA said. “We just felt like free speech is important no matter where you fall on the political spectrum.”
Matt Masucci, a junior from Ohio State University studying political science and the Central Ohio Field Director for Turning Point USA, said the organization decided to bring the free speech ball to Ohio University after paintings on the graffiti wall resulted in the alteration of Greek Week events about two weeks ago.
“When we heard about the wall and controversy with that, we decided as a group that we will have a demonstration of free speech rights,” Masucci said.
Massuci said OU students have responded relatively well to the free speech ball.
“So far, everyone seems to want to write something,” he said. “When people get ahold of the marker, they act like an animal that hasn’t been let out of the cage in a while.”
Raven Reid, a junior studying political science, said the free speech ball was a good way for students to express their opinions.
“I wrote ‘just be’ cause that’s kind of my phrase,” Reid said. “I think it’s cool cause no one’s arguing. You kind of just write what you feel.”
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Kuckuck said the free speech ball is a way for all students to share their thoughts, and that First Amendment rights should not be limited for anyone.
“You fight bad speech with better speech," Kuckuck said. "You don’t tape the mouths of those who are being silenced."
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