Five days a week, Jehovah’s Witnesses stand next to a table of fliers with a sign that reads “FREE Bible Course.” Their presence at the downtown MATC Campus outside the third-floor cafeteria has sparked a new conversation, not about religion, but about free speech.
Helena Dowd, MATC Tutor, feels this is an “organized, well-trained, multi-level marketing scheme recruitment operation.” In a Letter to the Editor, Dowd says this “coercive high-control group” poses a threat to the student body. She fears students could be persuaded into joining this religious organization, and that this group is “sanctioned by the college.”
She states, “The group’s leaders have been dissuading members from pursuing higher education since its inception decades ago.”
After being denied a space in a free speech zone, Dowd says, “I, a member of the community… am having my voice stifled by the college while cult recruiters from a nonlocal company swarm the school lunchroom.”
So how do people get a spot in one of these free speech zones — and how does MATC balance constitutional rights with concerns from its community?
Ebony Hagler, MATC College Events Coordinator, oversees requests for the free speech zone. She explains that anyone can use the various public forum spaces available at all MATC campuses “as long as they are not infringing on students’ rights, being derogatory or aggressive.”
Hagler says MATC does not endorse the messages shared by groups or people in these zones. “We do not supply any materials. No table, no megaphones, no ink pens. If we were to supply things to people in those free speech zones it’s as if we’re saying we as MATC agree to whatever you’re going to say — and we don’t.”
The Jehovah’s Witnesses request this space weekly, and have been present since Hagler assumed her role. During her three years in this position, no complaints have been filed about their presence before Dowd’s.
“They can tell you the sky is green and that’s their MO. I can’t argue with that… They’re requesting the free speech [zone] because they want to express themselves and they’re not hurting anyone,” Hagler explains.
Hagler says the documents for requesting to use the free speech zone are outdated. “Our system can’t process the request in 24 hours… It’s actually 10 days. We just need that kind of leeway due to the volume that we have.”
MATC does not allow employees to use free speech zones during working hours, so Dowd can request one of these spaces, but can only use it while not working as a tutor.
Dr. Ax DeLessio, MATC Government Instructor, says government and public institutions need to function as a “big basket.” “You have a right to say what you want to say… It doesn’t mean people have to stop and listen to you… And you don’t have a right to grab someone and make them stand there and listen,” DeLessio explains.
DeLessio highlights the potential dangers of limiting free speech in public institutions: “If you limit one group, you have to limit other groups... either you have to let everyone do the thing or no one can do the thing.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses Keith Whitlow and Ken Biglow Jr. say they only provide “interested students” with information to “take it and do with it as they want.”
Biglow says higher education is a “personal decision,” but warns of the “potential pitfalls” when formal education takes priority over biblical doctrine. Whitlow elaborates, “Our worship to God is more important than education from the world, if you will, from mankind. We want to be educated on God.”
They dissuade followers from using drugs, smoking, and having premarital sex — which could potentially lead to pregnancy, and then “an abortion, which as far as Jehovah is concerned, that’s murder,” Whitlow states.
If Dowd gets her space approved, she will likely be placed in an area away from the Jehovah’s Witness’ booth. Hagler says, “We don’t allow two people in the same space at the same time because we’re not in the business of allowing a debate on free speech.”
Whitlow says he would like others to know that “this is a life-saving work. They might not see it that way, but we’re trying to save lives… eventually it’s about salvation.”
