Chalk one up for porn (aka free speech)

Huge kudos to the Board of Regents for the University System of Maryland, which has refused to abide by a cockamamie edict from state Sen. Andrew P. Harris (R-Baltimore County). Harris was offended last spring by plans to show the XXX-rated film, "Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge," at the University of Maryland student union in College Park. Never mind that the film was provided free of charge by the producers. Never mind that no public funds were used. Never mind that only students over the age of 18 would be allowed to attend. And never mind that pesky provision in the Bill of Rights that guarantees free speech. Harris and cohorts threatened to cut off funding to the university; school administrators then shut down the event, only to be rebuffed courageously by students and faculty members who held a screening of snippets anyway and folded in a discussion about censorship and the First Amendment. After backing down from the defunding threat, Harris and crew insisted that the state university system come up with guidelines "on the use of public higher education facilities for the displaying or screening of obscene films and materials." He set a Dec. 1 deadline by which the Board of Regents had to submit its proposal. On Wednesday, it was time for the grown-ups in the system to show some courage -- and they did, sort of. The Post's Daniel deVise reports that after some hemming and hawing, the Board of Regents declined to even formulate a policy, saying that any such policy would be difficult, if not impossible, to implement and enforce. The regents also cited the opinions of its legal experts that Harris's mandate posed significant constitutional challenges. Fair enough. But I was left a little cold. I would have preferred for the Regents to vigorously defend the university tradition of not just tolerating, but encouraging all manner of free speech and expression -- even that which many of us may find troubling, offensive or disgusting. I would have preferred for them to muscularly reject becoming the first university system in the country to adopt such censorship rules. I would have preferred for them to stand on principle rather than couch their decision in mealy-mouthed practical terms. I would have preferred fire; the board offered ice. In the end, what's most important is that they got it right. And if their more diplomatic approach keeps Harris and the like from barreling back with yet another inane demand, then the board will have done an even greater service for the state, its schools and its students.