When we think about free speech, we usually think about our right to share our thoughts, ideas, and beliefs, as long as we are respectful and not unfairly stopped by the government. Free speech is a basic human right protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. However, this protection is not unlimited. It covers many ways of sharing, like music, dance, art, talking in public or private, reporting the news, publishing, and joining parades or peaceful protests with official government permission when we feel we are being treated unfairly. These rights help people understand each other, work together, and trust one another.
However, if we spread lies that hurt someone’s reputation, act violently, or make threats, we go too far, because our actions can hurt others or make them feel unsafe. Lying about people, making threats, and saying things that put public safety in danger do not match the values of a free and open society.
When the normal rules change and we cannot share our thoughts calmly, societies often become less fair, less creative, and more likely to have fights and strict rules. We get upset and may protest quietly or with violence. People can feel powerless or left out, which can cause more social problems and sometimes violent protests or uprisings. When this happens, it clearly shows that no one is making sure leaders do the right thing, and this leads society toward unfair and undemocratic rule, letting harmful actions or rules continue.
When people see that leaders are deciding or changing what we are allowed to say, it becomes clear that we have lost our freedom to speak. These rules often unfairly hurt Black people, Latinos, people with less accepted sexual orientations, and people with less accepted opinions, like what is happening at one of Texas’s public universities, where talking about transgender topics or saying there are more than two genders is not allowed. People become scared to speak up, so many stay silent.
As media freedom gets worse and threats to journalists grow, they are often the first to be attacked, and people who go after journalists usually do not get punished. Just look at what happened when the government made people who disagreed with its political views look like enemies and threatened to punish them for not fully supporting Charlie Kirk, the conservative free speech activist who was killed several weeks ago. The president went even further, indicating that after a certain point, criticizing him on TV is “illegal” and “no longer free speech.” This behavior broke the First Amendment. Because of this, divisions get worse because people cannot talk about their differences or fix problems in a healthy way. Our trust in the government, news, and other important groups can fall apart. All the things that help us improve may have to happen at other levels.
What can people do to get rid of this kind of unwanted, unfair, strict rule without being punished? First, strong pressure must be put on these strict governments. This can be achieved by establishing and supporting independent newspapers and various forms of media, such as podcasts, blogs, and small publishers, which enable people to share information and ideas without government control. This matters because the highest courts may not always do what is best for the people, making it hard to fight censorship and protect basic rights.
To get back freedoms, the community must keep working for honesty and open-mindedness. Keep in mind and pass on what the great educator Booker T. Washington, founder of Tuskegee University, said more than a century ago, “A lie doesn’t become truth; wrong doesn’t become right, and evil doesn’t become good just because it’s accepted by a majority.”
Otis D. Alexander, PhD, is an Academic Advisory Board member and academic historian with Blackpast.org and an alumnus of the Harvard Graduate School of Education Leadership for Academic Librarians program.