CU student's rights violated!

The Post:

A University of Colorado student has been arrested after making "threatening" comments in class that seemed sympathetic toward the gunman who killed 32 students at Virginia Tech, authorities said.

Max Karson was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of interfering with staff, faculty or students of an education institution. . . .

University police Cmdr. Brad Wiesley said that during a class discussion of the Virginia Tech massacre, Karson "made comments about understanding how someone could kill 32 people."

Several witnesses told investigators Karson said he was "angry about all kinds of things from the fluorescent light bulbs to the unpainted walls, and it made him angry enough to kill people," according to a police report.

Heck, everybody gets angry at fluorescent lights and unpainted walls once in a while.

Wiesley said others in the class interpreted Karson's statements as threats.

"More than one student said they were afraid," Wiesley said.

"They said they were afraid of him and afraid to come to class with him."

Wonder what the class was?

Michael Karson, Max Karson's father, told the Camera newspaper of Boulder that his son's comments may have been misinterpreted.

The elder Karson questioned whether his son's free-speech rights had been violated.

"I would have hoped that state officials would know their First Amendment better than they seem to," he said.

Hey, maybe the "CU-Boulder Chapter--Defend Critical Thinking Initiative, Department of English, Students and Faculty for True Academic Freedom--CU-Boulder Chapter of the American Association of University Professors" could take on the case!

Update: Free Max Karson! (With a "K" not a "C"!) Free Max Karson! (With a "K" not a "C"!)

Update II: Seems there's a bit of background to the Karson story, as Slapstick Politics points out.

(via PB)