From anti-gay protests at Penn State, to openly racist groups at the University of Michigan, the fine line between what one has the right to say and what one thinks they have the right to say has been blurred and misconstrued among students, administrators and universities across the nation.

Whether it is sex, sexuality, race or religious issues, the nature of college campuses has fostered many different groups and individuals that find it necessary to proselytize their religion or personal ideologies to students as they go about their everyday lives. This creates a tension and the necessary evaluation of the rights of the propagators and the often times forced listener.

Inherently, democracy has afforded many rights and liberties to individuals -- free speech and freedom of expression included. This isn't, however, a free pass to say whatever you want, whenever you want. Like most freedoms in our nation, rights and privileges have their limitations. No on can go around saying they are going to blow up a building or assassinate a politician. That is, there are legal restrictions and repercussions for such bold words.

The most common law prohibiting speech is the restriction of yelling "fire" in a theatre. Such an over-simplified example gets the basic point across -- causing a panic based on falsehood is not OK. Anything libelous or obscene also falls into the restricted category. Creating lies about others or groups greatly affects them and their way of life. Restricting obscenity prevents the offending of other individuals, taking into account the different value systems in our society.

The Supreme Court further ruled that fighting words or words that incite violence cannot be tolerated. (Thankfully students oftentimes conduct themselves in meek decorum even when being damned to hell).

These limitations on speech are crucially necessary because individual freedom should only extend as far as not confining someone else's freedom and their privilege to have it. More specifically on college campuses, students have the right to an equal and harassment free environment.

This bleeds into different laws and rules (many times state or school specific) than just the First Amendment. Individuals are typically expected and guaranteed to have a work, school and home environment free of harassment.

Can someone's words constitute harassment? If a professor makes verbal advances to a student by his speech and violates harassment clauses, (not just applicable to sexual harassment), this evidently demonstrates that words indeed have the capacity to harass.

A most frustrating aspect about free speech and our universities is the inconsistent regulation of this freedom.

If a group marched around yelling obscenities geared at women, immediate action would be taken. Even when the Penn State College Republicans promoted anti-immigration policies, President Graham Spanier took action and called for changes to their tactics.

Why is it then, when arguably obscene and offensive outsiders of our school come in and harass our students, they receive absolutely no backlash from the administration? Why is it that I'm forced to look at dead babies and female uteruses on my way to the library? Oh, I forgot, certain individuals or groups within our school have more of a right to not be harassed than others.

I'm not suggesting everyone and every group become so politically correct that no one can express their individual beliefs or views. It is the way those viewpoints are presented that is the problem.

If you have something to say, by all means you probably have the right to say it -- just don't block my way to class or hassle me when I'm trying to earn my diploma.