Oh, good, some jackass in the Maryland State Senate threatening to withhold public funding from a major university for maybe playing a porno flick has become a TEACHABLE MOMENT. Join the Facebook group!

Remember last week when The University of Maryland was going to play a skin flick called Pirates II at the student union and then some State Senator was all "let's take away all their money" and that didn't happen but they canceled the screening anyway? Yeah? Good.

Well, hah, it's back on! As a screening and "teach in." No joke.

The University of Maryland's Student Power Party announces a teach-in on free speech, academic expression, and the role of pornography in society. The teach-in will be followed by a screening of sections of the film Pirates 2: Stagnetti's Revenge scheduled for Monday, April 5 at 7 p.m.

The teach-in will feature David Rocah of the ACLU and members of the Student Power Party. This event is in response to University President Dan Mote's decision to cancel the scheduled showing of Pirates 2: Stagnetti's Revenge after threats to rescind University funding by State Senator Andy Harris.

We understand that there are two important issues involved in this event; freedom of speech and the role of pornography in society. However, this event is focusing on the issue of freedom of speech because we feel that the issue of pornography deserves an event of its own, with more time to prepare a discussion of the issue with the high level of discourse that such a complex issue deserves.

The teach-in intends to make it clear that we will not allow our academic community to be held hostage by State Senator Harris, and we request that he withdraw his threats against the students at the University of Maryland. We seek to protect free speech and academic autonomy on our campus, and right now that means screening pornography. President Mote's decision about a screening paid for only through student fees was made without student input. We hope to set a precedent that campus decisions cannot be made without students' informed participation.

Sorry to quote the whole boring thing but each sentence was just a marvel of stupid student politics-ese, right?

So hey, free porn today at 7 at the Susquehanna Room!