The debate about Sex Faire is the sign of a healthy, open community.

However, President Spanier's and state Rep. Lawless' preoccupation with offensiveness deflects us from the real issue — freedom of speech.

This is part of what Mr. Lawless is sworn to uphold.

Some people are offended by Sex Faire. So what? Freedom of speech is the open forum of all voices, none subdued. That President Spanier and Rep. Lawless were offended by Sex Faire is irrelevant.

Sex Faire is about the exchange of ideas, which is how a society grows.

This can be a messy and disquieting process; for example, permission for a KKK rally, a civil rights march or a Sex Faire. The strength of one's belief in free speech is best measured by the extent to which one supports the right of others to disagree.

Tax dollars and student fees at Penn State support a wide range of opinions in an open marketplace of ideas, guaranteeing the participation of all voices.

Freedom of expression is not freedom from tastelessness, which is, after all, in the eye of the beholder.

How dare Mr. Lawless hold the Penn State budget hostage to his sectarian views? Rather than apologize to the commonwealth, due to Mr. Lawless' politically self-serving media event, President Spanier should report to the taxpayers that free speech is alive and well at University Park. He, Mr. Lawless and all members of the community should be proud of that.