I'm not surprised by this at all. I think it is CHomsky who said that If you don't believe in freedom of expression for people we dispise, we don't believe in it at all. By that measurement, I think most americans don't believe in it at all, dispite the free speech flagwaving that suggests the contrary.

Decius wrote:
] Hrm. This article puts quite a spin on the data. This
] conclusion is not entirely supported even by the information
] they cut out and presented in the sidebar. The real title
] ought to be "Students only concerned with their 1st amendment
] rights, and not of others." This is typical of any group in
] society. Students are far more likely then teachers to support
] the independence of their school newspaper and far more likely
] then teachers to support "offensive" rock music. They care
] about their personal freedoms and not freedoms in general. Its
] hard to fault them when their teachers, parents, etc aren't
] any better.
]
] What's up with that? Well follow the link at the end of the
] article and you'll see that the study is sponsored by a group
] that seeks to promote journalism classes in high schools. Its
] obviously to their benefit to create a "crisis" in student's
] knowledge of the first amendment which they are ready and
] willing to address. Plus, no one knows more about using the
] media to promote an agenda then journalists themselves.

RE: Students say First Amendment Rights NO BIG DEAL