AMES, Iowa — The Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication is hosting the 15th-annual First Amendment Days celebration April 19-21. Included in the three-day-event is the Democalypse March, a march where students interactively celebrate and learn about their First Amendment rights.
The Democalypse March illustrates firsthand how life changes without each of the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. There will be five checkpoints around central campus at which the group will vote on which of the five First Amendment freedoms to give up. Throughout the march, students will understand the consequences that come along with losing any of their freedoms. To conclude the march, there will be a debriefing period to discuss what they experienced and learned.
“This exercise does a wonderful job of helping people understand their five freedoms given by the First Amendment. Take one away and the whole system of democracy is thrown off,” said Mark Witherspoon, editorial adviser for the Iowa State Daily and leader of the Democalypse March.
The Democalypse March is Thursday, April 20, 2017, from 9-10 a.m. and begins in front of the Curtiss Hall steps. The formal program will begin at Curtiss Hall. No pre-registration required.