On Monday, we printed an editorial that was critical of President Kaler’s response to the College Republican’s “Build the Wall” panel and free speech on campus.

A number of members of the campus community, students and faculty alike, have taken issue with that editorial. Particularly the phrase “But, much to our chagrin, we live in a community that protects their speech.”

The Daily Editorial Board would like to affirm our support of the right to free speech that every member of our community has; especially us, as a news organization, who have the right to condemn perceived hate speech. That being said, we think the context which informed our perspective should be given heed.

Two members of our board identify as members of the LGBTQIA community. Their experiences with hate speech have spanned decades, and the memories of the sometimes physical violence that accompanied those words will never go away.

We regret how we expressed our perspective on Monday, but many of the responses we’ve received seem to forget the power of speech they say they want to protect. We reassure you that it’s a freedom we value. Please, however, take a moment to reflect on the wounds some speech may leave.