Lubbock prolifers hail Texas Tech speech zones ruling

The many ramifications of this landmark ruling can be accessed in the Lubbock Online newspaper website at the following URL. I urge you to read this article and see how it affects the right to freely proclaim the gospel on university campuses and city streets across the nation. - Steve Mashburn

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Lubbock prolifers hail Texas Tech speech zones ruling

By Dorothy Boyett

An October 2, ruling by Federal Judge Sam Cummings striking down Texas Tech University 's free speech zones came as welcome news to Lubbock prolifers.

Texas Tech University has maintained a policy of banning free speech on campus unless it is in the “designated free speech” area, a gazebo situated away from the university center and traffic area. This was the only place that one could hold signs, hand out literature, or preach the Word, unless a permit was applied for and approved by the administration.

A law student filed a federal suit against the University after he was denied a permit to speak out against homosexuality. This suit ended the free speech ban at Texas Tech.

Lubbock prolifers have made several visits to Texas Tech using innovative methods to get their message across in high traffic areas. The campus police usually left them alone until someone called to complain, then they would move to the free speech area. But, on March 10th, Judy Kreller and Dorothy Boyett were threatened with arrest by university police for giving out Bible tracts and prolife literature on a sidewalk outside of the university. They were standing, as they believed, on public access.

The mild weather encouraged many students to walk to class rather than ride the bus; this gave an added witnessing opportunity. One young man drove back to ask for more of the prolife brochures. "My sister wants to give them out to everybody in her dorm," he explained. All but one of the Passion of Christ tracts by Ray Comfort were gladly accepted by the students. One young man told Judy and Dorothy that he had seen the movie twice in one weekend. The women were having a great time, that is, until the police arrived.

A very agitated policeman gave them "just five seconds to go across the street." The policeman claimed the sidewalk is owned by the State of Texas and the "no free speech" rule applies. Dorothy asked if they could just hand out tracts and witness to people going by without displaying their aborted baby signs. The answer was a definite "No!" "The university has a policy against soliciting," was the reasoning of the officer. The women were then warned that their "five seconds" were expiring and they would be arrested for criminal trespass if they did not go across the street to the other sidewalk.

Having given out all of the tracts, and knowing of the pending suit, they considered that they had accomplished their mission and complied with the officer's request.