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History of the Freedom Wall

December 6, 2021 by Rowan Toke & AJ Muonagolu

Design by Ali Levens | File Photos

In describing the purpose of the Freedom Wall, Seaver Dean Michael Feltner wrote the following in an email to the Graphic: “Speech and expression can be messy and difficult, but they cannot be impugned on a campus devoted to discerning truth, especially God’s truth. By providing a location for free expression and critical reflection on ideas from the student community, the Freedom Wall is an integral component of our educational mission.”

The following is a timeline of the Freedom Wall’s history, including some of the most visible and controversial displays:

January 2003: SGA establishes the Freedom Wall

February 2004: The Rock controversy follows a debate on hypothetical White Student Union

April 2006: Students clash over proposed immigration policy

January 2017: Turning Point USA posters are removed from the Freedom Wall

May 2018: Installation of 90 anonymous statements about the Good Samaritan Policy

October 2018: Unite Pepp movement continues conversation on Good Samaritan Policy

January 2019: Display calls out lack of diversity among finalists for university President

February 2019: Pepperdine responds to Westboro Baptist protesters through solidarity and peace

March 2019: HRL and allegations of ethical misconduct

November 2019: Argument over LGBTQ+ inclusion when Chick-fil-A was proposed on campus

January 2020: Students with disabilities continue to petition for change on campus

March 2020: Social media fuels posts in support of Prof. Jeff Schultz

November 2020: Pepperdine Justice Coalition protests for administrative action about racial inequalities

October 2021: Anti-abortion display sparks discourse

____________________

AJ Muonagolu and Rowan Toke

Follow the Graphic on Twitter: @PeppGraphic

Filed Under: Everybody Has One, Special Publications Tagged With: AJ Muonagolu, Everybody Has One, freedom, freedom wall, good samaritan policy, HRL, Michael Feltner, Opinions, Rowan Toke, SGA, The Rock

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