Harvey Silverglate

I was born during the McCarthy era.

So that says a lot.

It is the most important right that Americans have.

It's not a coincidence or an accident that it's named in the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Without it, no democratic society can be democratic for long.

And I'm an absolutist.

That is, I believe that, for example, people say to me, but what about hate speech?

Well, hate speech is much more important than love speech.

And the reason is I'm much more interested in knowing whom I should not turn my back on

that I am interested in figuring out who loves me or who likes me.

So hate speech is the most important, in my view, and yet it's banned in, for example, schools.

It's unbelievable.

Kids are not schooled into understanding the glory of the First Amendment when schools say to them they shouldn't say things that are going to make somebody feel bad.

I mean, the purpose of speech is to express honest views that people have, and so I believe hate speech is as important as love speech, and my view is more important.

Well, in a free society,

Thoughts start in the brain and then they come out the mouth.

So there are different ends of the same spectrum.

Of course.

Censorship of the mode by which other people know what you're thinking.

And out of speech, the theory is that ultimately out of speech,