The recent flap over Larry Summers' comments on women in science has renewed the debate about free speech on campus. Are faculty and administrators (and students, for that matter) protected by the First Amendment when making controversial statements? Generally, yes. But are they nonetheless crucified in the court of public opinion? Just ask Harvard's president.

I say "renewed" because this issue seems to resurface every now and then. Remember the culture wars of the 1990s? The "water buffalo" incident at Penn during that time? How about the 1960s or the Vietnam protests of the '70s? Or the McCarthy era?

College campuses are supposed to celebrate the free exchange of ideas, no matter how inflammatory some may be. But when comments offend certain groups, people are quick to suggest the speaker has overstepped some predetermined boundaries. And leave it to extremists---on either the right or left, depending on the circumstances---to fan the flames.

Free speech? Is it ever?