Thumbs down: A tasteless exercise of free speech

Thumbs down to Fresno State University professor Randa Jarrar for her tasteless social media postings following the death of Barbara Bush. If you aren't familiar with what she said, you'll have to find it yourself. We aren't going to repeat it here. Jarra, like anyone else, is entitled to her opinion. She isn't obligated to keep it to herself, though it seems to us that it is her reputation that has suffered most from her decision to share her views on Twitter after the former first lady died last week. Still, it's ironic that some of the people who have objected - justifiably - when students and others tried to shut down conservative speakers on colleges campuses joined calls for the liberal Jarrar to be punished, even dismissed from her job. Fresno State President Joseph Castro said Jarrar won't be fired or reprimanded. That was the right choice. He also was right when he called her comments “insensitive, inappropriate and an embarrassment to the university.”

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