PADDLING CONTROVERSY GETS INDIANA U. “SEXFEST” CANCELED: Yep, it’s what you think, and yep, there’s (fairly underwhelming) video.

People often wonder why free speech organizations like FIRE spend time defending unpopular or fringe expression. This case is a great example of why. IU Provost Lauren Robel, who ordered an unnecessary “investigation” into the paddling demonstration, last made the news less than 3 months ago when she publicly condemned Professor Eric Rasmusen for tweeting things deemed insufficiently pro-woman. That the same person is behind both efforts is no coincidence. When a government bureaucrat takes on the job of regulating the expression of adults, nobody is safe.