Butler University is suing John Doe. Well, junior Jess Zimmerman to be exact. Zimmerman started a "True BU" blog under the name "Soodo Nym," in which he started chronicling what he viewed as the unjustified dismissal of Andrea Gullickson, the former chair of the Butler's School of Music. Gullickson, who is also Zimmerman's stepmother, said that until recently, she was not aware that Soodo Nym was actually written by Zimmerman. On the eve of 2009, Zimmerman received an e-mail on his anonymous account from the University lawyer that Butler was pursuing charges against him.
Although Zimmerman's actions were clearly a conflict of interest, his intentions of pointing out what he viewed as University wrongdoing (and, according to his blog, other students' views) were justified. The counts of "defamatory and libelous statements" in the suit against John Doe are included in the document:"Dean Alexander acted inappropriately and inexcusably in handling this matter. His actions are not consistent with the Butler Way, are embarrassing to JCFA and Butler and are ridiculously irresponsible." Other excerpts in this suit include Zimmerman's statements accusing Alexander of, "blatant disregard for the college, the School of Music and the Butler Way."
The counts of "libel" and "defamation" that Butler University cites in its suit against "John Doe" are nothing more than harmless student opinion. Higher education, built for the expansion of young people's mind and boundaries, was meant for young adults to question and consider counts of authority. Mark Twain, a.k.a. Samuel Clemens, made his satires of society under his world-famous pseudonym, the Bronte sisters published under male pseudonyms and the American constitutional debates used pseudonyms (Alexander Hamilton, John Madison and John Jay wrote under the famous "Publius"). Heck, numerous authors wrote under pseudonyms when calling colonial British operations into question before the Revolutionary War. Pen names have enabled some of the most important American events to transpire, and the hindrance of such a voice by Butler University threatens the freedom of speech in the future of college journalism.What is in a pseudonym? What dictates the freedom of speech? Obviously, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.'s decision to shout fire in a crowded theater (Schenck v. United States) does not fall under the freedom of speech. However, Zimmerman's decision to criticize what he viewed as unjust University action is completely within his rights. Apparently he hurt administrative members' feelings and protests against their actions occurred. His singular voice of dissent could not single-handedly cause all the opinions and protests that occurred against the University administration. Butler University's decision to sue John Doe only propagates the statements made by Soodo Nym in his True BU blog. Zimmerman called the actions of Peter Alexander, dean of Butler University's College of Fine Arts, "abuses of power." Although Butler administrators claim these statements "libelous" the actions the University has taken to stifle student voice and silence public question is nothing less than that.
The future of free speech is unclear in today's day and age. Although America's past is rooted in free speech dictated under pseudonyms, clearly as opinions, they have not been libelous. Defamation could be viewed as causing ill opinion. However, Zimmerman's statements were only representative of his views as he called Butler policies into question.
Butler should invest more time into making a difference in its students' lives instead of covering up self-created messes that call its own integrity into question. This reputation band-aid and lawsuit only screams Nixonian ethics - after all, think of all the money that was spent on preserving the reputation of the President of the United States.
Butler University's course of action against Jess Zimmerman is misguided, unnecessary and poses a very terrifying problem for students and journalists everywhere: Will universities nationwide attempt to dictate free speech and muddy the growth of free thinking, following Butler University's course of action? It is up to us, as students and emerging individuals, to defend our right to write, protest and call into question what we view as wrong.No court or university should keep us from doing just that.
