Kent State: Should 'You Need Jesus' be Considered Hate Speech?

A poster distributed by Kent State University on Twitter last week asked if the phrase "You need Jesus" could be considered hate speech. The poster has caused an uproar among Christians on campus with one student demanding an apology.

The university's Center for Student Involvement created the poster to promote an event on free speech issues as part of Kent State's KENTTalks.  These events are intended, according to the university, to "provide a safe place for discussions and transformational experiences for our student body" and promote "civil discourse."

The posted portrayed silhouetted activists holding a range of placards with messages, overlaid with the rhetorical question "free speech or hate speech?" Alongside provocative expressions including "No More Gays," "Women Need To Serve Their Man" and "Build a Wall," the fourth placard bears a nonviolent, basic expression of the Christian faith: "You need Jesus."

Jared Small, president of the Campus Ministry International student organization, told The College Fix website that the poster was inappropriate.

"The university should apologize because it appears to be targeted toward one political and religious side," Small wrote in an email. "They could have included hate speech against President Trump or hate speech against Christians as examples. In my opinion, free speech protects hate speech to an extent," he continued.  "However, the university appears to show a bias against Christians and conservatives."

Small later clarified he was speaking personally, not for his organization.

The university has not responded to Small or any media inquiries.

Jacob Brown, president of the Catholic Student Association, suggested the poster was probably referring to the hellfire preachers who visit campus "twice or so each year."

"Do I think it constitutes hate speech? No. Should the university apologize? No," Brown told the website in an email.

"Nobody wants to be told 'You're going to hell,'" Brown said. "As a leader of a religious student organization, I put my face in my palm every time I see this protest, which echoes the zealousness of Jesus in challenging the money changers in the temple, but also comes across as tasteless and without empathy."

Brown also told his fellow students to try to understand the intentions of the controversial preachers.

"They share this with you because they believe it is in your best interest," he said. "I feel few students stop to consider this perspective."

"Christian students should also welcome the challenge of responding to those who accuse them of hate speech, because "a person's convictions are useless in a vacuum," Brown continued. "Sharing your ideas with those who agree with you isn't testing validity, it's just increasing popularity. … Embrace the trial by fire."