Monday, June 19, 2017
#FreeSpeech in the News: June 19, 2017
As the Citadel of Free Speech here in Cleveland, we work to protect and promote the basis of our democracy by sharing related stories, commentary, and opinions on free speech in the 21st century. Here's what's making the news - and what you should know about - this week.
"Governments don’t have the right to close down media outlets and criminalise speech to shut out criticism they find uncomfortable."
Media blocks against Qatar violate free speech: HRW, Al Jazeera
“Much of the social pressure that critics complain about is itself speech.”
Who’s Afraid of Free Speech?, The Atlantic
“It’s not just the hypocrisy that’s remarkable – we all ought to be worried about what these events signify for the future of free speech in America. There hasn’t yet been a law passed banning people from speaking ill of Trump, but there does appear to be a worrying trend whereby criticism of the president is slowly being stamped out for fear of the consequences.”
In Trump’s America, a thick-headed man’s incredibly thin skin is threatening free speech, The Guardian
“Beware any time the government seeks to protect something, such as online political speech, by exerting more control or by demanding ‘greater disclosure.’”
How the Obama administration tried to use bureaucrats to crack down on free speech, The Hill
“The dilemma is that the public debate about free speech relies on useless cliches, not on accurate information about the law.”
Actually, hate speech is protected speech, Los Angeles Times
"People on the left and the right who are free speech advocates need to come together right now and say the corporations are not going to define the first Amendment and free speech in this country."
Breitbart News editor-in0chief Alex Marlow talks free speech and Russia with Bill Maher, Washington Examiner