Editorial: Meyerhoff time limit mocks free speech

Students at UCLA are allowed to hold rallies, advocate causes
and practice their right to free speech ““ as long as they do
so between 11:50 a.m. and 1 p.m.

UCLA’s free speech zone, Meyerhoff Park, is the only area
on campus where students are allowed to use any amplification
devices to spread their message. While such zones are largely
necessary to prevent rallies from interfering with the
university’s academic mission, imposing such a restricted
time frame is too limiting.

Meyerhoff is far enough away from both classrooms and on-campus
housing facilities that it doesn’t allow students to be
disturbed while in class or in the dorms. The imposition on
students passing by is negligible, so the only people who have to
listen are those who stop to hear a speaker.

So why tell people they can only speak for about an hour out of
the day, especially when, ironically, that is one of the busiest
times when classes are scheduled?

Eliminating or loosening restrictions on Meyerhoff’s hours
of operation would allow multiple groups to use the facility on the
same day. No radical is going to start storming the park just
because the hours have been expanded ““ as it is, there are
many days when the one hour that is available goes unused.

If the university is willing to allow people unaffiliated with
the university to promote themselves on Bruin Walk at any time of
the day, it should certainly give its own students the same liberty
in its “free” speech zone.