Festival serves up food for thought, rights

Our country takes a lot of its freedoms for granted—the bulk of which are protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

We know, roughly, what the First Amendment entails; we understand that it allots us the rights to exercise whatever religion we choose, to say what we want, to peacefully gather and to petition the government.

Let's not forget the freedom of the press.

But how often do we truly ponder the impact those freedoms have on our every day lives? And how often do we think about the alternative?

On Monday, Dec. 5, the Indiana Statesman is sponsoring an opportunity to do just that—the First Amendment Free Food Festival (FAFFF).

At this event, participants will travel to Treelandia, a (fictional) country offering hotdogs and pizza, at no cost. All the participants have to do is sign away their basic rights, and they can enjoy their meals.

Sure, it sounds easy enough. Give a signature, grab some grub, follow the rules for a couple of hours and everyone wins. But the participants will quickly discover that this isn't your mother's run-of-the-mill lecture on government policy. In fact, this isn't a lecture in the slightest.

The Statesman has been encouraging you to be informed and involved the entire semester, and this is your unique and exciting chance. This is the first event of its kind on campus where students will be able to gain an outside perspective and appreciation of our rights.

Georgia Southern University and Florida Atlantic University have already seen impressive crowds at similar festivals, and now it's our turn.

So bring an open mind, an empty stomach, a friend and your rights to the Dedes between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday.