From campus shout-downs to angry mobs and censorship, 2023 was a "normal" year for speech on campus, according to Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression President Greg Lukianoff. And by "normal," he means "very, very bad."
There’s a reason I call freedom of speech "the eternally radical idea."
After all, what do you call an idea that has a clear track record of promoting innovation, human flourishing, prosperity, and progress — but is nonetheless rejected by partisans and authoritarians in every generation throughout history?
Many of us are lucky enough to have grown up in a time in which its value was taken for granted, but free speech has historically often been despised by those in power. Throughout millennia, the authorities — state and religious alike — have handled dissenters through ostracization or banishment. At other times, it’s been arrest, torture, beheading, burning at the stake, crucifixion or drinking hemlock.
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The fact is that free speech will always be opposed by the forces of conformity and the will of those with authority, because human beings are natural-born censors. It is simply too easy and too tempting to punish speech we disagree with and dislike, and to silence those who hold views contrary to our own.
Counterprotestors gather outside Netflix Headquarters on October 20, 2021, in Los Angeles, California to protest for freedom of speech in comedy as protestors demand accountability for Dave Chappelle promoting hate speech in his comedy special.
That’s why freedom of speech, "the eternally radical idea." is so important. And it’s the reason my organization, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), exists.
For 25 years, FIRE has defended the free speech rights of all Americans, regardless of their identity or the content of their speech. Since 1999, we've played by one rule: If it's protected, we'll defend it. No apologies. No throat-clearing.
We have fought tirelessly against restrictions on free expression........