College campuses pride themselves on being proverbial beacons of free speech. Administrators encourage their pupils to foster a smooth flow of ideas, policies and debate.

Lately, there has been action prohibiting and punishing the opposition for spouting their “un-American” views or affiliations.

University of South Florida professor Sami Al-Arian was placed on indefinite, paid leave after he appeared on a television program in which he was asked about his ties to two suspected terrorists.

Al-Arian maintains that he knew them only in the academic world, and that their links to terrorist activity came as a shock to him.

Another professor was persecuted for a slip of the tongue.

On Sept. 11, University of New Mexico history professor Richard Berthold told his Western civilization class, “Anyone who can blow up the Pentagon has my vote.”

As tasteless as this statement may be considering the lives lost within the Pentagon, it still is protected by the First Amendment.

Berthold since has apologized saying, “I was a jerk,” and adding that the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment “protects my right to be a jerk.”

The fine line between free speech and criminal behavior has been crossed one too many times in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Berthold and Al-Arian were greeted with violent threats, and both agreed to leave their respective campuses for their safety.

Comments about blowing up the Pentagon may be tacky, but death threats are illegal.

NIU’s MLK Commons is open to anyone willing to speak his or her mind, regardless of whether or not the audience agrees with the platform.

The Star encourages students and faculty to engage in informed and intelligent discourse and to use the media available to express themselves responsibly. But we draw the line at verbal assault.

There is nothing un-American about free speech.