#421 Recent Free Speech Wins and What Free Speech Costs

Freedom of speech is a key right that is fundamental to the American experiment, but is under deep scrutiny and even attack these days. In this episode, I walk through recent wins and trends for free speech, explain the details of the case E.D. v. Noblesville School District that has now been appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court (in the form of a Writ of Certiorari or request for SCOTUS to take the case), and reflect on what free speech costs–and what it will cost us if we intend to preserve this freedom for the next generation. Outline: Our Silence Our Silos Our Censure Key Takeaways: Link to the case page and court documents in E.D. v. Noblesville School District. In sum, a student, E.D., filed a lawsuit against Noblesville High School in Indiana for derecognizing a Students for Life club because of the pro-life messages on the group’s flyers. The federal district court, unfortunately, ruled against E.D.; and her attorneys filed an appeal with the 7th Circuit. I filed two amicus briefs in support of E.D. on behalf of Students for Life of America (SFLA), Young America’s Foundation (YAF), and Indiana Family Institute, and I explain (in this episode) the free speech violations SFLA and YAF have experienced around the country. All of this led me to a Link to the freshman survey. While only 1 out of 4 students wanted to ban “extreme” speakers during the 1970s and 1980s, the majority wanted to do so in 2019. We have the right to remain silent but the responsibility to speak up. The idea of being a surgeon rather than a butcher. “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer We should defer on preferences but defend our principles. The post #421 Recent Free Speech Wins and What Free Speech Costs first appeared on The Good Citizen Project.