discourse, debates
By Ryan Buxton
August 27, 2009
University students are familiar with the cornerstones of Free Speech
Alley buzzing tables of student organizations passing out flyers,
the easy demeanor of the kind man offering "Jesus Talk" and the
violent messages of damnation from the Consuming Fire Fellowship. But
there was a new sight in the Alley Wednesday.
The newest addition to the Free Speech Alley community is The Vieux
at LSU. Sponsored by the Student Activities Board, it will serve as a
place for students to come together and exchange ideas on issues like
the economy and health care, said Sheela Chockalingam, chair of the
SAB Ideas and Issues Committee.
Though Chockalingam said it wasn't her intention, the program's
format as an organized discussion, rather than the free-for-all
promotion that takes place in the Alley today similar to the
original intention when the first group of students spoke there in 1964.
IN THE BEGINNING
When Free Speech Alley began, it took place in an actual alley
between the Union book store and theatre, said Jeff Duhe, a 1988
University alumnus who became moderator of the Alley during his time.
"Cruelly and ironically, the place where bank machines stand today is
the place where hippies railed against materialism," Duhe said.
Free Speech Alley began as a sponsored event by a Union student
committee, said Shirley Plakidas, Student Union director. A podium
was set out and people took turns standing on it to speak their peace.
"The original atmosphere was one of debate," Plakidas said. "Before
computers and instant access to news, students could listen to the
debates to learn about political issues."
The debates were passionate and often controversial, spanning issues
like the Vietnam War and Communism. "Topics ran the gamut from China
to sexual climaxes," according to a 1967 Daily Reveille article.
With such divisive topics, debate got quite heated. But it was always
a goal of organizers to keep the event in order. A student moderator
limited the time of speeches and decided the order of speakers,
Plakidas said. The official rules were outlined in a 1968 Reveille
editorial: "A sense of fair play should be kept in mind while the
speaker is questioned," and "use of the soapbox is limited to faculty
and students of LSU," the editorial said of the box on which students
would stand as they boasted their opinions.
University administrators also took part in the Alley. James Reddoch,
dean of Student Services in 1964, regularly addressed the crowd in
what he called "Face The Students."
"[Reddoch] would stand before them and answer their questions," said
Maxine Reddoch, his wife. "Some people were respectful, and some were
not. But he always took it well and acted fairly."
Today, Chancellor Michael Martin holds "Chats with the Chancellor" to
communicate with students.
THE EVOLUTION
In the 1970s, a familiar face in the Alley was David Duke, a
University graduate who was active in the Ku Klux Klan. The Baton
Rouge State Times chronicled his "takeover" of the debates, saying he
met "antagonism, friendly debate and boredom with his dogma."
The Alley was not only a place for solemn discourse. Many students
who took the podium did so with a sense of humor, like one student
who satirically promoted his new political party, the International
Sensualist Emergency Committee, which called for "free love and
nickel beer or free beer and nickel love," according to a 1971 Baton
Rouge State Times article.
By the 1980s, the Vietnam War and heated arguments about it had
subsided. But the students in Free Speech Alley had no shortage of
topics to discuss. James Wharton, University chancellor from 1981 to
1989, remembers the Alley being packed with a couple hundred students
on some days during his tenure.
"In the '80s, war issues had died down, but matters like athletic
ticket policies and student fees were debated," he said.
Wharton said he found an interesting way for the administration to
influence students' activities.
"Occasionally, when students would want to rail about something, I
would provide them with a sound system and podium and a place to make
noise," Wharton said. "That seemed to take the wind from their sails,
when the administration would give them a hand."
Duhe likened his time moderating weekly discussions in the '80s to
producing a variety show. As he opened the session and determined the
speakers' order, Duhe kept entertainment in mind.
"I used to get up and do five or 10 minutes on the topics of the day
at the beginning to get people riled up, like the opening monologue
of 'The Tonight Show,'" Duhe said.
Speakers were supposed to take the podium in the order in which they
signed up, but Duhe said he secretly shifted the order to keep things
interesting.
"You couldn't put three fundamentalist Christians in a row. People
would get bored," he said. "So I would put the communist sandwiched
between two fundamentalist speakers."
Like today, Evangelists arguing with students often drew the most
interest from the crowd because of their "fire and brimstone
message," Duhe said. His memories sound like something that could
have happened any recent day in the Alley.
"They would scream 'whore' at random women walking on the Parade
Ground," Duhe said. "It would get these liberal college students
riled up, and they would want to respond."
MODERN DAY
The days of an official podium and heated, yet organized, debate on
political issues may not be familiar to students who see today's Free
Speech Alley, filled mostly with student organizations and religious
groups promoting themselves. Yet the spirit of the Alley remains a
place where anyone is allowed to speak anything so desired.
Melanie Oubre, College Democrats president, said Free Speech Alley is
an important platform for her organization. Last year Oubre spent
time in the Alley discussing the on-campus gun bill with passing
students and said she was exposed to varied opinions.
"I got to talk to an administrator, a teacher and a student in the
ROTC," she said. "I heard opinions from every side of the spectrum."
Though Free Speech Alley today has changed significantly from the way
it began, Duhe said he doesn't think these differences mean the fire
has dwindled to ashes.
"We had Free Speech Alley, the Reveille, KLSU and the Gumbo to
express ourselves," Duhe said. "This generation has all of those,
plus cell phones, MySpace and Twitter. This generation isn't shouting
at each other less. They're just shouting in invisible waves of
electromagnetism instead of on a bench in front of the Union."
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Contact Ryan Buxton at rbuxton@lsureveille.com
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