Pushback: Student appeals conviction for distributing Constitution on public campus
Tim Tizon (r) discussing free speech with another student on
March 3, 2022 at that banned YAL table on the ASU campus.
They’re coming for you next: Tim Tizon, a former Arizona State University (ASU) student, has now appealed his conviction for trespass, filed against him by the university because he had had the nerve to distribute copies of the Constitution to others, without obtaining the school’s permission.
He is being represented by the Liberty Justice Center (LJC). You can read his appeal here [pdf].
The facts of the case however are simple, and mirror numerous other similar incidents on many American campuses in the past decade, all designed to silence conservatives. On March 3, 2022, when he was still a student of ASU, he had set up a table on campus as a member of the ASU chapter of Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) to help educate others on the Constitution. As noted in his appeal:
All the witnesses who testified confirmed that Tim’s table displayed the YAL logo, was not blocking any pedestrian walkways, and was not taking any other group’s reserved space—indeed, no one had reserved space that day and no other groups had set up tables. University officials approached Tim, told him that he was standing in a “reservable area,” and explained that he must vacate it because he did not have a reservation.
Furthermore, as noted on the LJC website:
ASU officials said that the location could only be used by recognized student organizations after completing paperwork and securing several levels of sign-offs from university bureaucrats. In fact, however, the North Plaza of ASU’s Tempe campus, where Tizon was located, is designated as a public forum–so Tizon had every right to hand out copies of the Constitution.
During the incident, Tizon was told he could move his table to a remote spot on campus. He refused, because moving there would essentially be censoring him because no one would see his table. The school then charged him with trespass, and he was convicted, sentenced to pay a $300 fine as well as perform fifteen hours of community service.
In the end, it is clear that the university’s real goal was to silence Tizon and YAL, not maintain order on campus. If you doubt that, below are just a few of the stories in recent years about oppression and bigotry ASU.
- ASU blacklists American flag, replacing it with anti-American flags promoting the queer agenda
- Today’s blacklisted American: Kyle Rittenhouse temporarily forced out of ASU
- Universities increasingly encouraging segregated events
- ASU engages in ‘blatant censorship,’ blocks access to petition-hosting website
The administration and faculty at ASU are clearly in favor of a leftist and bigoted agenda, and are also willing to do ugly things to prevent any dissent to that agenda.
Tizon’s lawsuit describes just one more example. In it his lawyers claim that the university violated his first amendment rights under the Constitution, his rights under Arizona’s Forum Act (which was passed in 2018 to protect the free speech of students on state campuses), and his rights under the Arizona constitution itself. The appeal, which was filed this week, seeks to get Tizon’s conviction reversed and removed from his record.
Even if Tizon should win entirely, however, it will be a somewhat pointless victory. ASU will not be punished in any way for its wrongful action. Nor will that victory require any change in its behavior or an end to its “free speech zone” policies.
LJC should instead be suing for damages, with a demand that ASU be forbidden from enforcing those unconstitutional policies.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Tim Tizon (r) discussing free speech with another student on
March 3, 2022 at that banned YAL table on the ASU campus.
They’re coming for you next: Tim Tizon, a former Arizona State University (ASU) student, has now appealed his conviction for trespass, filed against him by the university because he had had the nerve to distribute copies of the Constitution to others, without obtaining the school’s permission.
He is being represented by the Liberty Justice Center (LJC). You can read his appeal here [pdf].
The facts of the case however are simple, and mirror numerous other similar incidents on many American campuses in the past decade, all designed to silence conservatives. On March 3, 2022, when he was still a student of ASU, he had set up a table on campus as a member of the ASU chapter of Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) to help educate others on the Constitution. As noted in his appeal:
All the witnesses who testified confirmed that Tim’s table displayed the YAL logo, was not blocking any pedestrian walkways, and was not taking any other group’s reserved space—indeed, no one had reserved space that day and no other groups had set up tables. University officials approached Tim, told him that he was standing in a “reservable area,” and explained that he must vacate it because he did not have a reservation.
Furthermore, as noted on the LJC website:
ASU officials said that the location could only be used by recognized student organizations after completing paperwork and securing several levels of sign-offs from university bureaucrats. In fact, however, the North Plaza of ASU’s Tempe campus, where Tizon was located, is designated as a public forum–so Tizon had every right to hand out copies of the Constitution.
During the incident, Tizon was told he could move his table to a remote spot on campus. He refused, because moving there would essentially be censoring him because no one would see his table. The school then charged him with trespass, and he was convicted, sentenced to pay a $300 fine as well as perform fifteen hours of community service.
In the end, it is clear that the university’s real goal was to silence Tizon and YAL, not maintain order on campus. If you doubt that, below are just a few of the stories in recent years about oppression and bigotry ASU.
- ASU blacklists American flag, replacing it with anti-American flags promoting the queer agenda
- Today’s blacklisted American: Kyle Rittenhouse temporarily forced out of ASU
- Universities increasingly encouraging segregated events
- ASU engages in ‘blatant censorship,’ blocks access to petition-hosting website
The administration and faculty at ASU are clearly in favor of a leftist and bigoted agenda, and are also willing to do ugly things to prevent any dissent to that agenda.
Tizon’s lawsuit describes just one more example. In it his lawyers claim that the university violated his first amendment rights under the Constitution, his rights under Arizona’s Forum Act (which was passed in 2018 to protect the free speech of students on state campuses), and his rights under the Arizona constitution itself. The appeal, which was filed this week, seeks to get Tizon’s conviction reversed and removed from his record.
Even if Tizon should win entirely, however, it will be a somewhat pointless victory. ASU will not be punished in any way for its wrongful action. Nor will that victory require any change in its behavior or an end to its “free speech zone” policies.
LJC should instead be suing for damages, with a demand that ASU be forbidden from enforcing those unconstitutional policies.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
After obtaining his reversal, Mr. Tizon should perhaps look to the civil court. There seems to be money to be made in the nascent Compensation for Oppression legal field. I would personally consider ASU’s annual budget as a starting point for damages.
The ultimate resolution to these issues plaguing us is contained in the Declaration of Independence.
A scrupulous reading (or reread) of the Declaration of Independence is required, then that same scrupulous emulation needs be implemented. Let subsequent events transpire as they may.
I see no other viable solution.
Excellent report and commentary.
Since when are ASU bureaucrats a legal court of law? Show me where any elected public officials passed any law that made this a misdemeanor. Sue the crap out of them for unlawful arrest, violation of 1st Amendment rights and zero legal authority to access fines or any sort of punishment.
Pure Tyranny at it’s most visual and mental presence is adhered to here.