#333 What Free Speech Costs

The Good Citizen Podcast

Freedom of speech is a key right that is fundamental to the American experiment, but is under deep scrutiny and even attack these days. For example, a high school recently shut down a pro-life club for being too “political.” And, last year, we heard from Julia Barley and Professor John Hill on the troubling state of free speech on–of all places–the law school campus.

In this episode, I walk through the events leading to a student, E.D., filing 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 an amicus brief in support of E.D. earlier this week 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 few reflections on what free speech costs–and what it will cost us if we intend to preserve this freedom for the next generation. Free speech costs:

1. Our Silence
2. Our Silos
3. Our Censure

Key Takeaways:

• Link to the case page and court documents in E.D. v. Noblesville School District.
• 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.

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