Instead of directing its time and energy to helping soothe the racial unrest at Penn State, the state House of Representatives recently passed an amendment that would take $9,520 from Penn State's appropriation because of "sexually explicit" student events.

We can only hope that this ridiculous amendment will not pass in the state Senate, or if it does, that Gov. Tom Ridge will promptly veto it.

If the state does take away this sum of money, which is a drop in the bucket considering that they are considering giving Penn State more than $300 million, they will effectively stifle free speech and civil discourse at an educational institution.

"I know what wrong is," said Rep. John Lawless, R-Montgomery, who sponsored the amendment. "Graham Spanier may not know what wrong is, but I do."

Why is one person telling a community of more than 40,000 students what is right and what is wrong? Has Lawless forgotten that the core of the First Amendment is that it supports an individual's freedom to choose for himself or herself what is right and what is wrong? If one man can suppress events such as Cuntfest, which wasn't even funded by state monies, who is to say that he won't try to suppress other events that he deems to be inappropriate?

Lawless cannot be and will not be the arbitrator for what is morally acceptable at Penn State. We reject his narrow-minded rhetoric and embrace a free marketplace of ideas.

What is also appalling is that some legislators were associating Lawless' amendment with the recent hate letters targeted to members of the black community.

"Whether you support Lawless' amendment or not, the issue is -- at least for me is: 'Am I going to allow my children to go to Happy Valley intimidated out of their wits?' " said Rep. John Myers, D-Philadelphia.

For Myers, a member of the Legislative Black Caucus, to support Lawless' campaign against free speech because he is frustrated with the university's response to racial tensions is disappointing. We understand that Myers and others like him are unhappy with the university's handling of the hate letters and race issues, and we agree that Penn State can be doing more to solve the tensions on campus.

But we do not understand why he and other members of the Legislative Black Caucus would take $9,520 away from a university that needs millions to help support its minority students. Lawless' unreasonable objections to Cuntfest and the university's bungling of racial problems are two different issues. In fusing them together and attempting to punish Penn State for one thing through the scope of another is not just illogical, it is lazy and irresponsible governance.