BERKELEY, Calif.—If what happened on Sep. 14 at the University of California, Berkeley—birthplace of the 1960s "free speech movement"—is really what it takes to protect free speech today in the United States, America may be in trouble.
Should a Massachusetts church be eligible for public preservation grants to help restore its historic stained glass windows?
The City of Acton thinks so and awarded Acton Congregational Church $100,000 under its Community Preservation Act. But a group of taxpayers sued, claiming the grant violates the Massachusetts Constitution’s ban on using public money to benefit religious institutions. The state’s Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments in the case last week and will issue a ruling in the next few months.
A Florida sociology professor who lost his job last week over a hateful tweet about Harvey victims has a fledgling free-speech organization questioning the “chilling effect” harsh penalties can have on professors and students, on and off campus.
Defending people’s right to speak without defending what they say is a growing problem, said Matthew Foldi, president and founder of Students for Free Expression, adding that living within the tension of that paradigm is essential to ensure free expression for all, even the most odious.
Politics | Five guidelines before you argue
