Greg Lukianoff

I think of West Virginia University about 20 years ago.

It was a lefty student group, and they were objecting to a free speech zone policy.

Free Speech Zones is an Orwellian name for these policies that actually restrict and quarantine free speech to little tiny corners of campus.

They thought this was ridiculous, so they protested the zone outside of the zone.

And what would happen is sometimes locals would walk by, and they'd make fun of the students.

They'd hackle them, they'd insult them.

Want to know what these students did in response?

They cheered their hecklers.

they believed, and I love these students, I absolutely love them for this, they understood that free speech belongs to everyone or it belongs to no one.

But unfortunately today, not just students, I feel like too many people believe in something closer to freedom from speech rather than freedom of speech.

But I'm not willing to accept that.

I believe that there are four truths that everyone needs to understand that can help get us back to understanding and appreciating free speech.

And they are, one, free speech makes us safer.

Two, free speech cures violence.

Three, free speech protects the powerless.

And four, even bad people can have good ideas.

So let's start.

Free speech makes you safer.

My mentor is a civil libertarian named Harvey Silverglate, and he spent his career in part defending freedom of speech, both on and off campus.

But when the idea started to hit campus, maybe back in the 80s, that bigoted or hurtful or hateful speech had to be banned, he would say, I'd prefer to know who the Nazis in the room are, so I know who not to turn my back to.