Category:Free Speech
Clergy should be able to preach without fear
October 26, 2016 | Post
In the absence of a compelling interest, such as preventing physical harm, governments have no right to control what goes on inside of churches and other houses of worship.
Should the government step in to outlaw discrimination?
October 22, 2016 | Post
National and state governments often create accommodations to protect religious individuals from neutral, generally applicable laws, but they have also passed laws affirmatively protecting religious citizens from discrimination by both private and governmental entities. Most prominently, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, prohibits employers with more than 15 employees from […]
Media Censorship: When Gay And Lesbian Content Was Illegal
October 18, 2016 | Video
Harvard Professor Michael Bronski explains what led to the pivotal moment when the Supreme Court ruled that discussing homosexuality was “okay.” Unfortunately there was actually a time when magazines with “gay or lesbian content”– not pornographic content– were censored by the Post Office. This era was a dark time for the LGBTQ community, when any […]
You Have a Constitutional Right to Record Public Officials in Public
October 12, 2016 | Post
The first amendment protects the rights of individuals to record the actions of government officials in public. US Customs and Border Protection disagrees.
How The State Legislated Against The LGBT Community
October 11, 2016 | Video
If a woman walked down the street in the 1950’s wearing men’s shoes, pants, a fedora, and a wristwatch, she could be arrested, fined, or even put in jail. Why? Because her attire violated “Three-Piece Laws,” which in many states forbade men and women from wearing more than three articles of clothing associated with the […]
What Cannabis Activism And Free Speech Activism Have in Common
September 29, 2016 | Post
The freedom to express ourselves implies a freedom to imbibe potentially harmful substances.
How Politics Corrupts Scholarship
September 24, 2016 | Post
Perverse incentives distort the truth seeking nature of scholarship in academia to better benefit those in power.
Colin Kaepernick's Protest Is What Makes America Unique
September 22, 2016 | Post
Kaepernick is engaging in a uniquely American way of making his belief’s known. He’s standing up for a cause he believes in, and in doing so he is using his platform and privilege to amplify an important message. For this he should be celebrated and defended, not shouted down and diminished.
Rubin Report and Learn Liberty Fight for Free Speech
September 21, 2016 | Video
We’re joining forces once a month with Learn Liberty to strengthen our commitment to furthering classical liberal ideas and free speech!
Are Novels Cultural Appropriation?
September 18, 2016 | Post
Author Lionel Shriver’s keynote address at the recent Brisbane Writer’s Festival has sparked heavy criticism. Shriver, best known for her book “We Need To Talk About Kevin”, spoke out against criticisms of authors based on cultural appropriation. The concept of cultural appropriation is divisive: some view it as oppression by majorities who adopt or appropriate […]
You Might Be Fined for Selling Your Car
September 17, 2016 | Post
After putting a “For Sale” sign in the window of his car, which was parked on the street outside his home, Michael Cefali was surprised to receive a $50 ticket from the city of San Juan Capistrano. According to the Orange County Register, Cefali violated a city code which “prohibits the parking of a vehicle […]
The Right to Sit During the Pledge of Allegiance
September 16, 2016 | Post
One’s right to life, liberty, and property, to free speech, a free press, freedom of worship and assembly, and other fundamental rights may not be submitted to vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections.
Are Giant Rats Free Speech?
September 13, 2016 | Post
Are giant rats free speech? This is the question at the heart of an ongoing suit in against the town of Grand Chute, Wisconsin. As a form of protest, unions will place giant, inflatable “union rats” in front of businesses they have disputes with. In Grand Chute, the town ordered that one of these rats […]
How the Amish Led the Fight Against Compulsory Schooling
September 12, 2016 | Post
Because students educated at home or in private schools regularly outperform students in public schools, it seems reasonable to conclude that such accommodations have not had a detrimental effect on the quality of education in these states.
Oath Taking and Religious Liberty in American History
September 9, 2016 | Post
Historically, oaths have been seen as essential for ensuring the loyalty and fidelity of citizens and elected officials. They were also viewed as critically important for the effective functioning of judicial systems. In the West, oaths historically invoke God as the witness of the oath taker’s veracity; written oaths often end with the phrase “so […]
Colin Kaepernick and the Freedom Not to Speak
September 7, 2016 | Post
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has sparked controversy by choosing not to stand for the national anthem. Despite shock and outrage, Kaepernick has defended this decision, telling NFL media: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To […]