NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A Republican lawmaker is defending his comments that free speech rights on Tennessee college campuses should apply to everyone — even recruiters for the Islamic State group.
On the House floor Thursday, State Rep. Martin Daniel of Knoxville said he supports First Amendment rights for people and groups regardless of whether he agrees with their aims.
Daniel had been challenged about the impact of his proposed "Tennessee Student Free Speech Protection Act" in a committee hearing a day earlier. Democratic John Deberry of Memphis had asked whether it would go so far as to allow people to stand in the middle of campus and "recruit for ISIS."
Daniel responded that it would, "so long as it doesn't disrupt the proceedings on that campus."
The bill was then withdrawn from consideration.
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