Freedom of Speech: What Is Your Opinion? #SpeakFreely

Speak Freely (website): Learn Liberty’s Free Speech Challenge.
Student Network- The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (website): Resources and opportunities for students to promote free speech on campus.
The War on Free Expression (report): An analysis of the state of free speech by the Cato Institute.

We have this thing we call the Free Speech Challenge, challenging students at different colleges to see if they’ll express an opinion that’s unpopular.
>> I don’t know if this is super controversial. I guess it is in some ways. But I care a lot about climate change.
>> I’m a big believer in women’s rights.
I think, being a feminist, there’s a lot of negative feelings that come with that.
>> Do you wanna take our Free Speech Challenge? Do you have any controversial opinions of your own?
>> Gun rights. I’m against that, but I’m not worried to say it in front of you.
>> Communism could work, right?
>> Minimum wage should be livable, not $7.25, it should be $10.
>> I just wanna get rid of mass consumption of GMO products and other things that are just massly manufactured. I would like to eliminate that as a whole.
>> Okay.
>> I think a lot of people here are against abortion.
And I personally think in certain circumstances that it’s perfectly okay.
>> Should people be free to say things that offend other people?
>> I think they should, cuz that’s who they are.
>> Positivity should be supported.
>> Sure. Should negativity be banned?
>> I think so.
>> I may not feel as comfortable having someone yelling their opinions at me, but I respect the fact that they have the right to do that.
>> Yeah.
>> I mean, Donald Trump was out here saying whatever he wants.
>> The delivery is very important. I think, also, others, no matter which side you happen to be on, people are very quick to talk instead of listen.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> And I think that’s a huge component to this free speech
>> To have that, it just furthers your knowledge from different spectrums for people just to-
>> You have to hear different points of view.
>> It gets you more educated, more well-rounded, more aware of issues that don’t pertain to you necessarily but issues surrounding the nation as a whole.
>> I try to remind my students, you’re gonna change your mind about a lot of things over time, and you should. None of us has all the answers. All of us are wrong about some things, and the only way we’ll learn what those things are is to listen to others and consider what they have to say.