Program for Festival of Five Freedoms
March 21, 2011
Session A: 10:00-10:45 AM
A1: Sewall International Suite
"When rights collide: The Westboro Baptist Church and free speech, press, and religion issues"
Panelists
Provost David Jamison, attorney
Dan Simpson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial writer
Rev. Craig Giles, Triumph Baptist Church, Sewickley
Rev. Roger Howard, Sharon Presbyterian Church, Moon
This panel will address the challenges we face as a society when freedom of speech, press and religion occasionally clash. The backdrop for this discussion will be the tactics used by members of the Kansas Westboro Baptist Church (specifically, their methods of protesting at military funerals) to bring to light their religious convictions. Many have pointed to the messages this group uses as "offensive," but should they be forbidden? Lawyer and First Amendment expert, Dr. David Jamison will provide insight into the case and the challenges it poses; Dan Simpson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist, will address the role of the press as groups or individuals use such tactics to advance specific ideologies; Rev. Craig Giles and Rev. Roger Howard will address faith communities and social/political activism as they pertain to the free exercise of religion component of the First Amendment. Following some position statements, the floor will be open to commentary and questions from audience members.
A2: Sewall Dining Room C
“The Military and the First Amendment”
Panelists
Moderator: Dr. Sylvia Pamboukian, Associate Professor of English
Dr. John McCarthy, Assistant Professor of History
Veterans: Renee Manges, Erica Loring, Brenda Nunemaker
The First Amendment is among the most revered promises made to Americans in the U.S. Constitution. Military personnel face the challenge of defending the five freedoms guaranteed by those important 45 words, even when there may be tension or push-back from citizens. Issues such as: Don't Ask Don't Tell; military secrets and leaks to the press (WikiLeaks); and how to protect the rights of protestors even when the message is deeply offensive (Westboro Baptist Church military funeral protests) are just a sampling of what military personnel face in their work. A panel of military veterans and an historian offers insights into how they find balance to successfully defend the guarantees given to Americans in the First Amendment and beyond. Following some position statements and personal stories, the floor will be open to commentary and questions from audience members.
B1: Sewall Dining Room C
"When a Free Press Isn’t Free”
Speaker
Silvia Duarte, Managing Editor, Sampsonia Way Magazine
International journalist, Silvia Duarte, offers her professional experience and global perspective on the challenges members of the press face as they work to report the most vital issues of today in the face of corporate influence, government obstruction, public calls for silence and a host of other hurdles. Does the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution give the American press an advantage in seeking and reporting truth? Could WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange have gained the sort of international attention for his efforts if the mainstream press were truly free? These and other questions will be the focus of this provocative session.
B2: Sewall International Suite
“The Fourth Estate on the First Amendment”
Speaker
David Shribman, Executive Editor, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pulitzer Prize winner and Executive Editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, David Shribman offers insights from his many years as a champion of the Fourth Estate reporting on national politics for the Boston Globe, Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the Washington Star. This session will examine the challenges newspapers face to remain free and unbiased as they navigate a new media climate. What does a “free press” mean in a 24/7 news environment that blurs the difference between fact and opinion? Take advantage of this opportunity to learn from a journalist who has been a national leader in defining the modern American press.
B3: Sewall Dining Room A/B
“A First Defense: Student Press and the First Amendment”
Speaker
Sara Rose, Attorney, ACLU
