FREEDOM OF SPEECH: THE ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITE TO LIBERAL DEMOCRACY

Battles over freedom of speech have gained renewed prominence in recent years. Ranging from disputes over school and university curricula, what books should be in school or public libraries, and the limits of public discourse during street demonstrations over racial justice, the 2020 election, or the Israel-Hamas war, debates over the value of free expression are constantly in the news. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has been immersed in these battles since 1999 as it has defended and promoted the value of free speech for all Americans in courtrooms, campuses, and the culture. FIRE has represented students and faculty members from all sides of the political spectrum in an effort to preserve individual rights, including freedom of speech, freedom of association, due process , legal equality, religious liberty and sanctity of conscience. Robert Corn-Revere, FIRE’s Chief Counsel will discuss the current controversies through the lens of his forty-year career as a First Amendment litigator and provide historical context as set forth in his book, The Mind of the Censor and the Eye of the Beholder: The First Amendment and the Censor’s Dilemma.