UH Mānoa law students clarify First Amendment
Business Law learns all about freedom of speech
Photo by Kimani Fernandez-Roy
Luʻukia Nakanelua and Mark Suzuki of William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa give a presentation on the First Amendment Friday in Business Law class. The timing coincided with Free Speech Week.
University students Luʻukia Nakanelua and Mark Suzuki of William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa came to discuss the First Amendment with Mr. Kealiʻi Mossman’s Business Law class Friday.
The timing was good. Since the end of September, students have been discussing the topic of Colin Kaepernick, kneeling during the national anthem and sitting during Hawaiʻi Pōnoʻi. This was also the Friday of Free Speech Week.
Freedom of speech and the press, both of which fall under the First Amendment, were the two main topics discussed by Nakanelua and Suzuki.
Nakanelua, a Kamehameha Schools Maui alumna (’09), and Suzuki provided the students with a hefty amount of information about the First Amendment, which Mr. Mossman’s business students had already been studying. Their understanding was visible.
“Wow, Iʻm impressed” Suzuki said.
Although the students were well prepared, there was a sizable amount of information that they hadn’t known about.
They discussed the legalities of being allowed to burn a country’s flag and Nazis being able to protest the United States in a public area. The students asked many questions along the lines of, “Is this covered the by the First Amendment?”
Business Law students were engaged throughout the presentation as they discussed the different topics.
In-between the discussions, students interacted in small groups. At the end, they asked any more questions they had on the First Amendment, political issues or college in general.
For instance, senior James Kahoʻokele III asked, “When the whole issue with the Clinton emails came out did you guys look at that?”
Students were shocked to find out that some of the emails leaked online came from the hacking of one of Suzuki’s friend’s email account. His friend works for Hillary Clinton.
The presentation got the students thinking and left them with an bundle of questions that they will now have to answer themselves as they continue to increase their knowledge on the different restrictions and conditions of the First Amendment.
Kyle Nakanelua • Oct 25, 2016 at 7:27 am
I am a veteran of the United States Air Force and i kako’o the thoughts of Ms. Ho’opi’i for the exact same reason. It is most unfortunate that the powerful people in our society take advantage of, manipulate and misuse the values of our Honor, Dignity, Commitment and Selflessness of our Mana and Tapu to our homeland and our people.
Diane "Didi" Ho'opi'i • Oct 24, 2016 at 7:46 am
Freedom of speech is a choice we make daily. To kneel during the national anthem or not stand and sing along to Hawai’i Pono’i is a choice individuals make on their own free will. I’m not saying I agree with their actions because I don’t. They are fortunate to have this choice as many individuals in different parts of the countries are forced to recite or say things that they don’t necessarily believe in.
As for myself, I stand up straight with my right hand on my heart when the National Anthem is sung to honor my ‘ohana and friends that have fought in the past and who are currently in the military fighting for our FREEDOM and our safety. Standing with pride and dignity, I will also sing “Hawai’i Pono’i” as a hawaiian in a free country.
Great article Mani.