Yesterday, we highlighted the University of Arizona's attempts to stop a screening of Not Evil Just Wrong. Today, you'll find out what happens when a student e-mails classmates and invites them to watch the documentary that dares to question Al Gore.

Brandon Wasicsko, a student at Florida Gulf Coast University, (Remember Kimberly at Florida Gulf Coast University?) e-mailed students in business, economics and environmental classes about the Eagles for Liberty premiere of Not Evil Just Wrong. Do you see anything suspicious in this email?

Subject: Not Evil, Just Wrong - The Cost of the Global Warming Hysteria

Eagles for Liberty strikes again!!

This time with one of the most awaited documentaries of the year.

Join us for a screening of the World Record Premiere of: "Not Evil Just Wrong.

The feature-length documentary that reveals the true cost of Global Warming hysteria.

When: Sunday, OCT 18 at 7:45 PM.
Where: Student Union 213

The movie's trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHMOEVRysWE
A funny MUST WATCH video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi3erdgVVTw

It gets better...

In addition to giving you this fantastic Sunday night movie experience, we'll also be providing FREE PIZZA AND SODA! You can't miss this!!

See you then!

-Eagles for Liberty

Professor Patrick J. Greene, an Associate Professor in Educational Technology, certainly did. He clearly expressed his opinion in a response to Brandon:

This email is a violation of the FGCU policy to not use our email system for Political propaganda. It also is a fundamentalist right-wing set of lies about the environmental necessity to control our carbon emissions so that our children and there's can have the same quality of life that we enjoy.

This film, also represents the polar opposite of what FGCU is trying to inculcate into our students through the Colloquium requirement, namely a profound respect and understanding of our environmental responsibilities. If you feel that our l.ust for power should allow corporations to damage our health, well-being and future then present that idea in a forum that shows some responsibility to the University that is educating you.

Patrick J. Greene, PhD
Associate Professor
Educational Technology
Florida Gulf Coast University

(Emphasis mine)

Professor Greene's comments are interesting. Was Brandon's email a violation of school e-mail policies? According to student e-mail policies, no mention of "political speech" is listed. Nor is it mentioned in the Public Expression and Assembly Regulations. The only mention of "political" is listed under the staff E-mail Policy, which describes "political activity" as:

"Activity of a partisan nature not related to the employee's authorized University duties and responsibilties."

How was Brandon's invitation "partisan?" His email in no way infers preference for one political party, movement or philosophy. He was merely promoting an opportunity to see another viewpoint in the debate over global warming. Professor Greene's charge that Not Evil Just Wrong is "fundamentalist right-wing set of lies" is also wrong. The producers, Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer, are acclaimed filmmakers from Ireland who have worked for the BBC in the UK and CBC in Canada.

In fact, Professor Greene may be infringing on Brandon's rights as a student at FGCU. According to the Office of Judicial Affairs, Student Rights and Responsibilities, students have a right to freedom of expression:

Freedom of expression. The basic freedom of students to hear, write, distribute, and act upon a variety of thoughts and beliefs is guaranteed. Freedom of expression carries with it the responsibility for seeing that the essential order of the university is preserved.

Despite the University's attempt to "inculcate" into students through the Colloquium (see attached syllabus sent by Kimberly Legendre), Brandon has the right to question what his university advocates.

Brandon respectfully responded to Professor Greene that way:

The email was in no way an attempt to promote political propaganda, simply to advertise an event that offered a viewpoint. At a public university, everyone is free to express their views as they see fit, so long as they physically harm no one. If you feel that we have violated a policy, please refer me to said policy.

And later:

I certainly hope that you are not opposed to the free exchange of ideas, regardless of which view the public university happens to promote. (Would promotion of a specific political agenda by a governmental body such as a public university not also be considered "propaganda" by someone coming from a different perspective?)

P.S. - The university does not educate me. It offers opportunities for me to educate myself. The former is, in my opinion, a less evil form of indoctrination.

Did this e-mail chain lend itself to a dialogue on freedom of speech? Hardly. After not hearing anything for a week, Brandon was informed that his correspondence had been turned over to the university provost for review. He is currently awaiting the decision from the provost's office.

Interestingly, FGCU has caught the attention of FIRE previously.

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Colloquium_Syllabus.pdf	658.46 KB