Murfreesboro, TN – In a time when debates over speech and censorship echo from college campuses to social media platforms, Dr. Larry Burriss of Middle Tennessee State University offers a timely reminder: the conversation about what “ought” or “ought not” be said is far more complex than many realize.
A fixture in Murfreesboro’s academic and civic life, Dr. Burriss has spent decades teaching journalism and media law, guiding students through the murky waters of ethics, regulation, and constitutional freedoms. His commentary, rooted in both scholarly rigor and lived experience—including military service and leadership at MTSU—often brings national issues into sharp local focus.
“Saying someone ought or ought not do something implies there are sanctions,” Burriss notes. “But what kind of sanctions are we talking about? Are we keeping viewpoints off the Internet? Denying speakers access to campuses? Cutting off airtime?”…