Columbia University on Track to Launch First Amendment Center
Gone were the days when people are praised for championing the constitution and the very essence of democracy America is known for. But with the launch of a First Amendment institution that reportedly has a budget of $60 million, this seems to be the most expensive fight for the freedom of expression, ever.
The joint efforts of Columbia University and John S. and James L. Knight Foundation was announced on Tuesday and first reported by The Associated Press. The center, to be named "Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University," is intended to be used as a research and education body as well as a litigation center for the digital age.
The kind of society today, including the technology used in information gathering and distribution, has dramatically changed and the way the freedom of expression is practiced is changing as well. For Knight Foundation president Alberto Ibarguen, establishing an institution promoting and championing the First Amendment rights can make a positive impact to society. "So much is changing so fast that more voices, a bigger family of voices speaking in favor of free speech and free expression … is more likely to lead to a more open societal attitude toward free speech," Ibarguen said.
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Columbia University president Lee Bollinger said that the institute is already in the process of finding the best possible candidates for the executive director position. He also revealed that once everything is in place, it will begin taking on and supporting cases that are in one way or another related or linked to the freedom of expression.
According to The New York Times, the institute would want to become an influential entity in America's legal debates over First Amendment protection issues that lately have been facing uncertainty and scrutiny due to a society that is soaked in social media and the internet in general . The report mentions the recent criminal charges brought by U.S. President Barack Obama's administration, particularly those involving online privacy and freedom of expression in schools and colleges.
