January 10, 2024

In the News

VOA News (Video): Harvard University President's Resignation Spurs Freedom of Speech Debate on Campuses

By Veronica Balderas Iglesias

.....Free speech is a constitutional right in the United States, but it only protects against censorship by the government. Social media platforms, businesses and private schools can each have their own policies restricting certain kinds of speech. After the resignations of prominent university presidents, VOA's Veronica Balderas Iglesias looks into the debate over regulating speech on college campuses.

Ed. note: Institute for Free Speech President David Keating appears at 1m 27 sec .

CBN: Moms for Liberty CA Chapter Sues County Library for Censorship After Officials Shutdown Event

By Steve Warren

.....Attorneys with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and the Institute for Free Speech (IFS) have filed a lawsuit in a federal court in Sacramento, California against two Yolo County library district officials, alleging they violated the First Amendment rights of several women's groups who met in a branch library to discuss the harms of allowing biological men to participate in women's sports. 

Supreme Court

ACLU: ACLU to Defend NRA Before Supreme Court, to Uphold Advocacy Groups’ Right to Free Speech

.....The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a brief in the Supreme Court on behalf of the National Rifle Association (NRA) in NRA v. Vullo, arguing that government attempts to blacklist a nonprofit advocacy group and deny it financial services because of its viewpoint violate the First Amendment. While the ACLU stands in stark opposition to the NRA on many issues, it is representing the group to safeguard the First Amendment rights of all advocacy organizations.

“While the ACLU disagrees with the NRA’s advocacy, we are proud to defend its right to speak,” said ACLU Legal Director David Cole, who will argue the case for the NRA. “Public officials cannot be allowed to abuse their regulatory powers to blacklist an organization just because they oppose its political views. If New York is allowed to do this to the NRA, it will provide a playbook for other state officials to abuse their authority to target groups they don’t like.”

The Courts

Courthouse News: A judge has temporarily halted enforcement of an Ohio law limiting kids’ use of social media

By Associated Press

.....A federal judge issued an order Tuesday temporarily halting enforcement of a pending Ohio law that would require children to get parental consent to use social media apps.

U.S. District Court Judge Algenon Marbley's temporary restraining order came in a lawsuit brought Friday by NetChoice, a trade group representing TikTok, Snapchat, Meta and other major tech companies. The litigation argues that the law unconstitutionally impedes free speech and is overbroad and vague.

Free Expression

Reason: Universities Use DEI Statements To Enforce Groupthink

By Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott

.....Since 2014, an unprecedented number of college professors have been targeted, punished, or fired for what they said, published, or taught. Meanwhile, colleges and universities are becoming even less ideologically diverse than they already were. Professors around the country are reporting their speech chilled in an increasingly homogenous environment.

While you might expect universities to respond to this issue by making efforts to mitigate groupthink, the opposite has occurred. Over the past several years universities across the country have decided that it's time to add DEI statements as part of the hiring and review process.

And while some argue that DEI statements are not litmus tests, we think that defies common sense and the evidence in front of us. Take this statement from Vassar College's Office of the Dean of the Faculty:All department and program hiring for tenure-track and multi-year faculty positions are requesting all candidates to submit a diversity statement:

Jonathan Turley: Canadian Police Arrest Conservative Journalist on Trumped Up Charge of Assault

.....We have been discussing the rapid decline of free speech protections in Canada under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. A vivid example of the increasing authoritarian approach was evident this week with the arrest of David Menzies, a reporter for Canada’s conservative Rebel News Network. Menzies was attempting to interview Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland when her security clearly manufactured a criminal charge in front of cameras.

Menzies was attempting to ask Freeland about Canada’s refusal to label Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IGRC) as a terrorist organization. Freeland continues to walk as Menzies attempts get an answer by walking backwards. As he stays with Freeland, a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stands in his way and the result is a slight bump. The officer then immediately carries out an arrest with an eventual charge that Menzies assaulted him.

The States

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose: Secretary LaRose Urges Lawmakers to Close Loopholes Allowing Foreign & Corporate Influence on Ohio's Elections

.....Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued a letter today to state legislative leaders urging immediate action to close a “foreign influence” loophole in state campaign finance law. LaRose told Senate President Matt Huffman and House Speaker Jason Stephens that a legislative fix is needed to prevent non-citizens from bankrolling campaigns for or against proposed statewide ballot issues.