PARK CITY — The message Joseph Vogel wants to convey in his new book about the controversy over Michael Moore's invitation to speak at Utah Valley State College is that free speech shouldn't be taken for granted.

"As citizens and as students, we need to be vigilant to protect this right that we kind of think is given, is guaranteed," Vogel said Tuesday night at the Park City Library.

Vogel, who was the student body vice president in 2004 when he invited Moore to speak, retold his experience at the first signing of his book, "Free Speech 101: The Utah Valley Uproar Over Michael Moore."

About 50 people attended the event in the library's auditorium. Vogel, 24, recounted the contention on campus, which divided students and members of the community into pro- and anti-Moore camps. Donors and state lawmakers threatened to withdraw support from the Orem public college.

Vogel said he was threatened and students attempted to oust him from office. A compromise was reached in the form of an invitation to conservative talk show host Sean Hannity to speak on campus.

Hannity's invitation was an attempt to satisfy conservatives in the community who were offended that student and state funds were used on Moore, who had just released his documentary "Farenheit 9/11," which was critical of Bush and the war in Iraq, Vogel said.

Vogel said the Utah Valley controversy reflects threats to free speech throughout the United States, especially in schools — like the firing of university professors Ward Churchill and Jeffrey Nielsen and the censorship of a girl's graduation speech.

Churchill, a former University of Colorado tenured ethics professor, was fired for repeated research misconduct. However, critics believe he was fired for controversial statements about World Trade Center victims.

Nielsen, a philosophy professor, was released from his term-by-term contract at Brigham Young University for speaking against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' stance on gay marriage.

And recently, Vogel said, a girl's graduation speech was halted because she referred to some Bible verses.

"It is not a political issue," he said. "It cuts both ways."

When news came out that Vogel was writing a book, he had to step down from his student leadership position. He believes that, too, was a form of censorship because prominent people in the community did not want to relive the controversy and read their names in a book.

A UVSC spokeswoman said the school did not have a comment.

Moore and Hannity did not respond to the Deseret Morning News' questions.

Chris Cherniak recently moved to Park City from Florida. He was not aware of the Moore controversy until he attended the book signing.

"I thought it was very interesting," he said. "In a way, very sad an incident like this occurred."

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E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com