Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, and FIRE — an odd-sounding coalition — have won their battle at the University of Wisconsin-Stout to reverse the censorship of theater professor James Miller.
Miller posted an image of actor Fillion with a quotation from the television show “Firefly” on the door of his office at the University of Wisconsin-Stout — and things devolved from there when campus police threatened Miller with criminal charges unless he took the poster down.
“FIRE is pleased that UW-Stout has decided to abandon its previous position and reopen the door to free speech and common sense on its campus,” FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said. “This victory would not have been possible without the outpouring of support from people across the country on news sites, blogs, and social media. FIRE would especially like to thank Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Neil Gaiman, and my fellow Firefly fans.”
On September 12, 2011, Professor Miller posted outside his office door an image of Fillion in Joss Whedon’s sci-fi series Firefly and a line from an episode: “You don’t know me, son, so let me explain this to you once: If I ever kill you, you’ll be awake. You’ll be facing me. And you’ll be armed.” On September 16, Stout Chief of Police Lisa A. Walter notified Miller that she had removed the poster because it “refer[s] to killing.” After Miller replied, “respect my first amendment rights,” Walter wrote that “the poster can be interpreted as a threat.” Walter also threatened Miller with criminal charges of “disorderly conduct” if he posted any similar poster.
In response to Walter’s censorship, Miller placed a new poster on his office door on the 16th. The poster read, “Warning: Fascism” and mocked, “Fascism can cause blunt head trauma and/or violent death. Keep fascism away from children and pets.”
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