APSU students to decide if they ‘eat free or live free’ on Constitution Day

(Posted Sept. 12, 2019)

Austin Peay State University students will have a choice to make on Constitution Day, Sept. 17: Eat free or live free. The choice pits free food against First Amendment rights.

That choice will happen 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Morgan University Center Plaza, where students choosing to enter the fake People’s Republic of Clarksville experience preplanned events that demonstrate what life might be like without First Amendment protections.

All the rules of the fake country are enforced by student actors.

Students will choose between free food and their first amendment rights on Sept. 17.

If students ask for a specific type of chip, for example, they might not get what they ordered. If they come in with a group of friends, they might not be allowed to sit together. If they have logos on their T-shirts or backpacks, the logos will be covered with tape. If they have a complaint, they have to sit at a table where no one will hear their concerns.

All the rules of the fake country are enforced by student actors from The All State, Wesley Foundation, Governor’s Programming Council and the Military Student Center. The event is sponsored by the departments of Student Publications and Student Life & Engagement.

Last year, 329 students waived their First Amendment rights to participate in the event.

News Feed

View All News

APSU's Full Spectrum Learning marks 10 years with Autism Awareness Week

Austin Peay State University's Full Spectrum Learning program celebrates its 10th anniversary with Autism Awareness Week events April 13-18. Free and open to the public, the week features workshops, a student showcase, a forum, and an anniversary celebration honoring a decade of supporting neurodiverse students.

APSU inducts largest first-year class into Alpha Lambda Delta in over a decade

Austin Peay State University's chapter of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society recently inducted 143 first-year students during a ceremony in Clement Auditorium, marking the largest cohort since 2014.

APSU Board of Trustees to meet April 10

The Austin Peay State University Board of Trustees will host its quarterly meetings on Friday, April 10, at the O'Malley Family Welcome Center, beginning with committee sessions at 8:15 a.m. followed by a full board meeting.