Do you really know what freedom of speech is?
Sure, we all know the gist – freedom of speech is the right to express any opinion without censorship. It certainly sounds simple. A year ago today, I believed questions like “what’s better, In-N-Out or Five Guys?” or “Is Eli Manning a Hall-of-Famer?” were more controversial than any question around free speech. I’d bet most Americans would have joined me in hearty debate over burgers and football without giving the civil right that enables that debate a second thought… and for the record, the answers are In-N-Out (recent polling be damned) and absolutely not (sorry Eli).
The controversies of the last year, however, have raised questions around the limits of free speech. Is hateful language protected under freedom of speech? Can the NFL really fire a player for taking a knee during the anthem? Separate from what the law currently says, to what extent should hateful or disrespectful speech be protected?