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Aaron Terr, Director of Public Advocacy with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), addresses the challenges and risks of restricting free speech content. Should there be exceptions for controversial or inflammatory declarations? And if so, who should decide what is unacceptable - the public, by critique, or the government, by law? And how can the average person protect their right to free speech? Visit THEFIRE.ORG to learn more about their mission.
This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, October 27th, 2025. In today's newscast, WFHB Correspondent Catherine Terwilliger speaks with Dominic Coletti, student press program officer for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, about the group's recent condemnation of free speech issues at IU. More in today's feature report. You’ll also hear from Michelle …
This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025. In today's newscast, WFHB Correspondent Catherine Terwilliger speaks with Dominic Coletti, student press program officer for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, about IU's recent cancellation of the Indiana Daily Student print edition. More in today's feature report. Also coming up in …
Two years ago, free speech champion Greg Lukianoff came on the show to express his concerns about conservative students getting cancelled on college campuses. Today, he's terrified of the President of the United States. The CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has spent decades defending free speech against overzealous university administrators. But in Trump's second term, Lukianoff finds himself fighting a much scarier adversary: a government hostile to free speech. Law firms have capitulated under threats of losing security clearances. Students have been deported for saying the wrong thing. And Trump keeps admitting he's targeting people for their viewpoints—virtually guaranteeing he'll lose in court while expanding executive overreach anyway.1. The Complete Reversal: Trump Adopted the Left's Censorship Playbook The administration that campaigned against campus “cancel culture” now deploys the exact tactics it once condemned—misinformation claims, hate speech codes, viewpoint-based punishments. “They rediscovered hate speech” after Charlie Kirk's assassination, Lukianoff notes, using it as justification to silence critics despite previously arguing hate speech should be protected.2. Law Firms Chose Cowardice Over Principle Major law firms immediately capitulated to Trump administration threats of losing security clearances and federal building access—effectively ending their ability to practice. Only Covington & Burling fought from the start, and those who resisted have largely won in court. “It's cowardice and self-interest, to be honest,” Lukianoff says. “They try to make it sound like this is an existential battle... And it's like, yeah, that's why you fight then.”3. Trump's Own Admissions Guarantee He'll Lose in Court Trump can't help himself: he publicly admits he's targeting people for their viewpoints, which is “the sine qua non of what you're not allowed to do under the First Amendment.” His ego and need for credit constantly undermine his administration's legal strategy. “Trump wants credit for all of this stuff,” creating a paper trail of constitutional violations.4. Students Are Being Deported for Protected Speech FIRE is challenging Marco Rubio's use of obscure 1950s-era powers that allow the Secretary of State to deport non-citizens based solely on his opinion that they're “adverse to foreign policy.” The only previous court challenge ruled these provisions unconstitutionally broad—by Trump's own sister, a federal judge who died in 2023.5. The Real Red Line: When Trump Ignores the Courts “Our big red line is if he just stops following the courts entirely,” Lukianoff warns. The nightmare scenario isn't losing cases—it's Trump pulling an Andrew Jackson moment, saying “the court made the ruling, let it enforce it,” and simply continuing anyway. Nine months into the term, Lukianoff won't say it's likely, but he won't rule it out either: “Would I be totally shocked? Unfortunately, no.”Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe
Two very different legal stories are making headlines this week — both raising questions about government authority and individual rights. Guest: Michael Shapray - Criminal Lawyer with Stern Shapray Criminal Lawyers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's Thursday, October 16th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark British Christian teacher fired for Facebook post about Islamic violence A British Christian teacher, who was unjustly fired, shared his testimony at a Reform UK party free speech conference last week. Simon Pearson had a 20-year unblemished teaching record. However, Preston College dismissed him last year for allegedly being “Islamaphobic.” He had simply expressed concern on Facebook over violent crime and political bias. Pearson is challenging his dismissal with the help of the Christian Legal Centre. Listen to his comments at the free speech conference. PEARSON: “Previously, I've worked as a missionary in a communist country where freedom of speech and religion are tightly controlled. I know what it means to live under a regime where truth is suppressed and conscience is punished. “I never imagined I would face similar pressures in the United Kingdom, a country built on the foundations of liberty, of justice and of Christian values. I'm fighting for justice, not just for myself, but for every teacher, for every Christian and every citizen who fears that their voice no longer matters and they are being silenced.” Young people of Northern Ireland more open to Christianity Speaking of the United Kingdom, young people in Northern Ireland are leading a revival of interest in Christianity, according to a poll by The Iona Institute. The survey found 18-24-year-olds in Northern Ireland are more likely to have a very positive attitude toward Christianity than any other age group. These findings are similar to studies of young people in Ireland, Britain, and the United States. Gen Z boys most likely to believe that Jesus is way to Heaven Here in America, the Barna Group released new research from its ongoing State of the Church initiative. Surveys show that Gen Z is increasingly open to Christian faith. However, among young people, women are the most likely to disengage from church, prayer, and belief. Meanwhile, young men and especially teenage boys are the least likely to identify as having no faith among young people. They are also the most likely to believe in God and that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Fewer young Americans identifying as “transgender” Here some more good news. Trans identification is declining among young people in America. Eric Kaufmann, a Canadian professor of politics, posted the findings on Tuesday. His analysis is based on multiple data sets, including those from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. The data shows 3.6% of undergraduates identify as a gender other than male or female. That's down from 5.2% in 2024 and 6.8% in 2022. The data sets also showed young people are becoming less likely to identify as something other than heterosexual. Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk Presidential Medal of Freedom President Donald Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday. Kirk's widow, Erika, received the nation's highest civilian medal on his behalf on what would have been his 32nd birthday. The ceremony comes about a month after the Christian activist was fatally shot while speaking at an event for his organization, Turning Point USA. Listen to comments from President Trump. TRUMP: “Charlie never missed an opportunity to remind us of the Judeo-Christian principles of our nation's founding or to share his deep Christian faith. In his final moments, Charlie testified to the greatness of America and to the glory of our Savior with Whom he now rests in Heaven. Anniversary of martyrdom of two English reformers And finally, today is the anniversary of the martyrdom of two English Reformers. Their names were Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley. Both were bishops in the Church of England. Ridley was born in 1502, becoming a great scholar and renouncing Roman Catholic doctrine. Latimer was born earlier in 1485. He became a great Reformation preacher, also rejecting Catholic traditions. His preaching brought Protestant teachings effectively to the middle and lower classes. However, a Catholic queen came to power in England in 1553. She was known as “Bloody Mary” for her deadly persecution of Protestants. After her ascension to power, Latimer and Ridley were tried for their beliefs and burned at the stake on October 16, 1555. As they faced death together, Latimer told his friend, “Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.” In Romans 8:36-37, the Apostle Paul wrote, “As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, October 16th, in the year of our Lord 2025, the 60th wedding anniversary of my parents, Mike and Harriet McManus, with whom I will celebrate this very weekend. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
A ship is wrecked off the coast of Western Australia. It’s cargo sank with it. Many of those on board perished in the tragedy. Who owns what remains on board the ship at the bottom of the Ocean? Back in the 1970s, one man decided to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Texas' new “Campus Protection Act” is in full force, and with it comes lots of changes to protests at public colleges and universities in the state, just a handful of years after those rights were enshrined in another law. Meanwhile, new state committees have been established to study free speech on campuses, teachers and staff at Texas public schools are under fire for comments on social media, and the Texas Attorney General has launched an undercover operation targeting “leftist terror cells.” To better understand how free speech in Austin is changing under the Trump Administration, host Nikki DaVaughn and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec are joined by JT Morris, senior supervising attorney for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), and the lead attorney in a federal lawsuit challenging the new act. Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. And don't forget– you can support this show and get great perks by becoming a City Cast Austin Neighbor at membership.citycast.fm Follow us @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE Learn more about the sponsors of this October 14th episode: LBJ Presidential Library The Texas Tribune Festival Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Cozy Earth - Use code COZYAUSTIN for 40% off best-selling sheets, towels, pajamas, and more.
In this episode of The Good Fight Club, Yascha Mounk, Renée DiResta, Jacob Mchangama, and Jonathan Rauch discuss threats to free speech under Joe Biden vs Donald Trump, how to protect free speech, and the administration's new compact for universities. Renée DiResta is an Associate Research Professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown and author of Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies Into Reality. Jacob Mchangama is the Executive Director of The Future of Free Speech and a research professor at Vanderbilt University. He is also a Senior Fellow at The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and the author of Free Speech: A History From Socrates to Social Media. Jonathan Rauch is a senior fellow in the Governance Studies program at the Brookings Institution, and a member of the Persuasion Board of Advisors. If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone. Email: leonora.barclay@persuasion.community Podcast production by Mickey Freeland and Leonora Barclay. Connect with us! Spotify | Apple | Google X: @Yascha_Mounk & @JoinPersuasion YouTube: Yascha Mounk, Persuasion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution remains the gold standard globally when it comes to protecting speech. But our guest says free speech protections cannot be guaranteed without strong support from those who it protects — including supporting others' right to express ideas you might strongly disagree with. Jacob Mchangama has spent his career tracking free speech trends globally and understanding how it has ebbed and flowed over the course of recorded history. He is director of the Future of Free Speech think tank at Vanderbilt University, a Senior Fellow at The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression in Philadelphia, and the author of “Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media.”
For decades, American universities have been seen as bastions of free inquiry, attracting students and scholars from around the world. But what happens when this openness creates vulnerabilities? How do authoritarian regimes leverage financial ties and international student populations to stifle criticism and export censorship onto American campuses? And more urgently, are we now seeing these same tactics of intimidation and financial pressure being used by our own government to bring higher education to heel?To explore these questions, host Aaron Ross Powell is joined by guest Sarah McLaughlin, a senior scholar of global expression at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, and author of Authoritarians in the Academy: How the Internationalization of Higher Education and Borderless Censorship Threaten Free Speech.They discuss the levers of power that governments like that of China use to pressure universities, from threatening the flow of tuition-paying students to direct transnational oppression of students on U.S. soil. They also examine why so many academic institutions—in the face of these threats from both foreign and domestic actors—have chosen silence and capitulation over courage.We hope you enjoy.***© The UnPopulist, 2025Follow us on Bluesky, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.theunpopulist.net
Dive into the fiery world of free speech in this episode featuring Connor Murnane, Campus Advocacy Chief of Staff at FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression). Once focused solely on college campuses, FIRE expanded its mission in 2022 to champion free speech nationwide, tackling issues from K-12 book bans to citizen journalists' rights. Murnane recounts iconic cases like the “Water Buffalo” incident and a student's fight to distribute pocket Constitutions, exposing the absurdity of restrictive speech codes. Despite progress in campus policies, a troubling rise in student support for shout-downs and violence signals a cultural battle ahead. FIRE's nonpartisan stance navigates a polarized landscape, defending everyone from Trump supporters to Satanists while facing accusations of bias. With new books like The War On Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech—And Why They Fail arming readers against anti-speech arguments, FIRE remains a beacon for liberty. Tune in to uncover why free speech is the bedrock of a free society—and what's at stake if we lose it.Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★
The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech—And Why They Fail (Heresy Press, 2025) constitutes a bulwark against the persistent censorial efforts from both the political left and right. At a time when conformist pressures threaten viewpoint diversity, and when political attacks on free expression are mounting, this book is a valuable resource for all who seek to understand and defend the right that is central to both individual liberty and our democratic self-government. This concise volume is organized around 10 claims that proponents of speech restrictions regularly assert, such as: “words are violence,” “free speech is right-wing,” and “hate speech isn't free speech.” In lively, clear, and persuasive prose, the authors examine the flaws in these pro-censorship assertions. The book also includes an insightful introduction by Jacob Mchangama, shedding additional light on the topic from historical and international perspectives. Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Nadine Strossen is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and was the national President of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008. She is a Senior Fellow at FIRE and serves on the advisory boards of the ACLU, Academic Freedom Alliance, Heterodox Academy, and National Coalition Against Censorship. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech—And Why They Fail (Heresy Press, 2025) constitutes a bulwark against the persistent censorial efforts from both the political left and right. At a time when conformist pressures threaten viewpoint diversity, and when political attacks on free expression are mounting, this book is a valuable resource for all who seek to understand and defend the right that is central to both individual liberty and our democratic self-government. This concise volume is organized around 10 claims that proponents of speech restrictions regularly assert, such as: “words are violence,” “free speech is right-wing,” and “hate speech isn't free speech.” In lively, clear, and persuasive prose, the authors examine the flaws in these pro-censorship assertions. The book also includes an insightful introduction by Jacob Mchangama, shedding additional light on the topic from historical and international perspectives. Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Nadine Strossen is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and was the national President of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008. She is a Senior Fellow at FIRE and serves on the advisory boards of the ACLU, Academic Freedom Alliance, Heterodox Academy, and National Coalition Against Censorship. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/language
The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech—And Why They Fail (Heresy Press, 2025) constitutes a bulwark against the persistent censorial efforts from both the political left and right. At a time when conformist pressures threaten viewpoint diversity, and when political attacks on free expression are mounting, this book is a valuable resource for all who seek to understand and defend the right that is central to both individual liberty and our democratic self-government. This concise volume is organized around 10 claims that proponents of speech restrictions regularly assert, such as: “words are violence,” “free speech is right-wing,” and “hate speech isn't free speech.” In lively, clear, and persuasive prose, the authors examine the flaws in these pro-censorship assertions. The book also includes an insightful introduction by Jacob Mchangama, shedding additional light on the topic from historical and international perspectives. Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Nadine Strossen is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and was the national President of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008. She is a Senior Fellow at FIRE and serves on the advisory boards of the ACLU, Academic Freedom Alliance, Heterodox Academy, and National Coalition Against Censorship. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/public-policy
The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech—And Why They Fail (Heresy Press, 2025) constitutes a bulwark against the persistent censorial efforts from both the political left and right. At a time when conformist pressures threaten viewpoint diversity, and when political attacks on free expression are mounting, this book is a valuable resource for all who seek to understand and defend the right that is central to both individual liberty and our democratic self-government. This concise volume is organized around 10 claims that proponents of speech restrictions regularly assert, such as: “words are violence,” “free speech is right-wing,” and “hate speech isn't free speech.” In lively, clear, and persuasive prose, the authors examine the flaws in these pro-censorship assertions. The book also includes an insightful introduction by Jacob Mchangama, shedding additional light on the topic from historical and international perspectives. Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Nadine Strossen is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and was the national President of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008. She is a Senior Fellow at FIRE and serves on the advisory boards of the ACLU, Academic Freedom Alliance, Heterodox Academy, and National Coalition Against Censorship. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/communications
The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech—And Why They Fail (Heresy Press, 2025) constitutes a bulwark against the persistent censorial efforts from both the political left and right. At a time when conformist pressures threaten viewpoint diversity, and when political attacks on free expression are mounting, this book is a valuable resource for all who seek to understand and defend the right that is central to both individual liberty and our democratic self-government. This concise volume is organized around 10 claims that proponents of speech restrictions regularly assert, such as: “words are violence,” “free speech is right-wing,” and “hate speech isn't free speech.” In lively, clear, and persuasive prose, the authors examine the flaws in these pro-censorship assertions. The book also includes an insightful introduction by Jacob Mchangama, shedding additional light on the topic from historical and international perspectives. Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Nadine Strossen is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and was the national President of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008. She is a Senior Fellow at FIRE and serves on the advisory boards of the ACLU, Academic Freedom Alliance, Heterodox Academy, and National Coalition Against Censorship. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics
The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech—And Why They Fail (Heresy Press, 2025) constitutes a bulwark against the persistent censorial efforts from both the political left and right. At a time when conformist pressures threaten viewpoint diversity, and when political attacks on free expression are mounting, this book is a valuable resource for all who seek to understand and defend the right that is central to both individual liberty and our democratic self-government. This concise volume is organized around 10 claims that proponents of speech restrictions regularly assert, such as: “words are violence,” “free speech is right-wing,” and “hate speech isn't free speech.” In lively, clear, and persuasive prose, the authors examine the flaws in these pro-censorship assertions. The book also includes an insightful introduction by Jacob Mchangama, shedding additional light on the topic from historical and international perspectives. Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Nadine Strossen is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and was the national President of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008. She is a Senior Fellow at FIRE and serves on the advisory boards of the ACLU, Academic Freedom Alliance, Heterodox Academy, and National Coalition Against Censorship. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/law
The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech—And Why They Fail (Heresy Press, 2025) constitutes a bulwark against the persistent censorial efforts from both the political left and right. At a time when conformist pressures threaten viewpoint diversity, and when political attacks on free expression are mounting, this book is a valuable resource for all who seek to understand and defend the right that is central to both individual liberty and our democratic self-government. This concise volume is organized around 10 claims that proponents of speech restrictions regularly assert, such as: “words are violence,” “free speech is right-wing,” and “hate speech isn't free speech.” In lively, clear, and persuasive prose, the authors examine the flaws in these pro-censorship assertions. The book also includes an insightful introduction by Jacob Mchangama, shedding additional light on the topic from historical and international perspectives. Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Nadine Strossen is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and was the national President of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008. She is a Senior Fellow at FIRE and serves on the advisory boards of the ACLU, Academic Freedom Alliance, Heterodox Academy, and National Coalition Against Censorship. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The national debate over the state of free speech continues to intensify. With the assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah and the subsequent suspension of comedian Jimmy Kimmel over remarks regarding Kirk's death, recent events have reinforced a deep divide among Americans.rnrnAccording to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, there has been a continued decline in support for free speech, particularly among all students, and students of every political persuasion show a deep unwillingness to encounter controversial ideas. Meanwhile, Kimmel's suspension has drawn attention to the government's growing pressure on the media and private companies, and raises questions about what constitutes direct interference with First Amendment rights.rnrnIs free speech under attack? Or is the public's definition shifting? And what can we take stock of from current events, as well as long-term trends in this nation and our ability to exercise our First Amendment rights?
The past few weeks have marked a low point for free speech principles in America. The head of the FCC openly threatened ABC for the language of a comedian. The president told a reporter that networks that are "against" him should have their licenses revoked. The vice president went on TV and told Americans to turn in their colleagues if they spoke ill of Charlie Kirk. And many have. After Kirk was killed, Suzanne Swierc, an employee at Ball State University, posted that “if you think Charlie Kirk was a wonderful person, we can't be friends.” Within hours, Libs of TikTok, a social media account, posted her message publicly, Elon Musk retweeted it, and, with the approval of the White House, she was fired. Conservatives claim that Democrats fired first. They say it was the campus left that got "cancel culture" rolling. It was Joe Biden who pressured—or jawboned—the social media companies to take down misinformation, in violation of free expression. It was Democrats who suppressed information on the Hunter Biden laptop. So what can we say fairly and honestly about the state of the First Amendment? Is the Trump administration uniquely perverse? Are we all hypocrites? And why does it seem like so many members of each party can't wait to use the machinery of the state to limit the speech of their political opponent? Greg Lukianoff, the president of FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, joins the show to discuss. If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at PlainEnglish@Spotify.com. Host: Derek Thompson Guest: Greg Lukianoff Producer: Devon Baroldi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a wave of everyday people have been punished, getting doxxed and even losing their jobs because of statements they made online regarding Kirk and his death. Even the Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, encouraged Americans to call the employers of anyone they feel is “celebrating Charlie's murder.” Free speech matters now, more than ever. But what can we say without fear of retribution? To find out what the rules around speech in America really are, and why this is no time to self-censor, we spoke to Ari Cohn. He's lead counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, with a focus on tech policy.And in the news: Oregon sues the Trump administration to stop the deployment of the state's National Guard to protect federal buildings, current New York City Mayor Eric Adams pulls out of the upcoming mayoral race, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu changes his story on what happened with those bunker busters in Iran.Show Notes:Call Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
How does China use its considerable influence to try to stifle criticism in American universities? Sarah McLaughlin of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression joins the podcast to talk about her new book, Authoritarians in the Academy. We discuss how the Chinese government monitors their own citizens abroad, how they pressure universities into cancelling speakers from Tibet or Xinjiang, and how universities are too often happy to crack down on campus free speech in order to secure Chinese funding. To get bonus episodes, support us at patreon.com/newliberalpodcast or https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member Got questions? Send us a note at mailbag@cnliberalism.org. Follow us at: https://twitter.com/CNLiberalism https://cnliberalism.org/ Join a local chapter at https://cnliberalism.org/become-a-member/
Three of our favorite segments from the week, in case you missed them.One perspective on free speech in our politics, from Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression CEO Greg Lukianoff (First) | Environmental activist and journalist Bill McKibben reflects on his life's work (Starts at 25:25) | Listeners on their religious conversions (Starts at 1:03:15)If you don't subscribe to the Brian Lehrer Show on iTunes, you can do that here.
In this thought-provoking episode of the Animal Law Podcast, we dive into a First Amendment case that cuts straight to the heart of animal advocacy: can the government prevent activists from showing the public what actually happens to animals in industrial agriculture? Mariann speaks with Sara Berinhout of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) and John Greil of the University…
In this thought-provoking episode of the Animal Law Podcast, we dive into a First Amendment case that cuts straight to the heart of animal advocacy: can the government prevent activists from showing the public what actually happens to animals in industrial agriculture? Mariann speaks with Sara Berinhout of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) and John Greil of the University…
This conversation delves into the complexities of constitutional law, focusing on the privileges and immunities clauses, substantive due process, equal protection, and the contract clause. The discussion aims to clarify these intricate legal concepts, providing historical context, key cases, and practical insights for students preparing for exams. The interconnectedness of these topics is emphasized, highlighting how changes in one area can influence others.Dive into the fascinating world of constitutional law as we explore the Privileges and Immunities Clauses of Article IV and the 14th Amendment. Discover how these clauses shape the rights of citizens across state lines and their impact on modern legal interpretations. Join us for an insightful discussion that unravels the complexities and historical significance of these pivotal constitutional provisions.Join us as we delve into the intricate world of Substantive Due Process and Fundamental Rights. Explore how these legal principles protect individual freedoms and shape the landscape of American constitutional law. From landmark Supreme Court cases to contemporary debates, this episode unpacks the evolution and significance of these critical doctrines in safeguarding our liberties.Explore the dynamic interplay between the Equal Protection Clause and the State Action Doctrine in this enlightening episode. We unravel how these legal concepts work together to ensure fairness and justice under the law. From historical roots to modern applications, discover the pivotal role they play in shaping civil rights and addressing discrimination in the United States.Join us as we journey through the historical evolution and modern interpretation of the Contract Clause. Discover how this constitutional provision has shaped economic relationships and legal frameworks from the founding era to today. We delve into landmark cases and contemporary debates, revealing the enduring impact of the Contract Clause on American law and commerce.TakeawaysThe privileges and immunities clauses are often misunderstood, with two distinct clauses to consider.Article IV's Privileges and Immunities Clause protects individual citizens, not corporations.The 14th Amendment's Privileges or Immunities Clause has a complicated history, especially post-Civil War.Substantive due process focuses on the government's justification for infringing on fundamental rights.Levels of scrutiny (strict, intermediate, rational basis) are crucial for analyzing constitutional issues.Key cases like Meyer v. Nebraska and Griswold v. Connecticut illustrate the evolution of substantive due process.The equal protection clause requires state action to address discrimination.Facially neutral laws can still be discriminatory if intent is proven.The contract clause was initially a strong protection for contracts but has weakened over time.Current interpretations of the contract clause allow for significant state interference under certain conditions.constitutional law, privileges and immunities, substantive due process, equal protection, contract clause, legal rights, state action, levels of scrutiny, fundamental rights, legal history
The other day we published an abstract of the Virginia Universities' ranking in the latest report from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Today we catch up with Sean Stevens, Chief Research advisor at FIRE to get into HOW the schools get ranked and what can be learned from the higher ranked ones. Keep Up With The Daily Signal Sign up for our email newsletters: https://www.dailysignal.com/email Subscribe to our other shows: The Tony Kinnett Cast: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2284199939 The Signal Sitdown: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL2026390376 Problematic Women: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL7765680741 Victor Davis Hanson: https://megaphone.link/THEDAILYSIGNAL9809784327 Follow The Daily Signal: X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=DailySignal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDailySignalNews/ Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@DailySignal YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/dailysignal?sub_confirmation=1 Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and never miss an episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The other day we published an abstract of the Virginia Universities' ranking in the latest report from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Today we catch up with Sean Stevens, Chief Research advisor at FIRE to get into HOW the schools get ranked and what can be learned from the higher-ranked ones. Keep […]
Greg Lukianoff, attorney, president and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and the author of several books on free speech, offers his thoughts on how he says both the political left and right weaponize crackdowns on speech, and why he thinks that is a problem for everyone's rights.
Jimmy Kimmel's brief suspension and, as of yesterday evening, illustrates some of the thornier challenges around the ideal of free speech.On Today's Show:Greg Lukianoff, attorney, president and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and the author of several books on free speech, offers his thoughts on how he says both the political left and right weaponize crackdowns on speech, and why he thinks that is a problem for everyone's rights.
Subscribe to listen to this entire episode. Free expression as a First Amendment right and cultural value is under assault in America. Yes, there's a hurricane of partisan hypocrisy concerning who can say what and when. But the battles over this cherished right are as old as the republic. The uproar over Jimmy Kimmel is merely the latest chapter. The veteran First Amendment litigator Bob Corn-Revere, now the chief counsel of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), is here to clear up the confusion. Subscribe at historyasithappens.supercast.com Further reading: Everyone's a Free Speech Hypocrite by FIRE's Greg Lukianoff (New York Times) FIRE's College Free Speech Rankings
Jimmy Kimmel returned to his late night show last night after being suspended for comments he made surrounding the death of Charlie Kirk. The suspension ignited a debate about free speech in the media — but is his return a victory? We speak to Greg Lukianoff, is the president and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
We were thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Sarah McLaughlin about her new book, Authoritarians in the Academy: How the Internationalization of Higher Education and Borderless Censorship Threaten Free Speech. As a Senior Scholar at The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Sarah is one of the leading experts on how global censorship intersects with free expression issues in the United States. In this episode of Banished, Sarah discusses her book's key findings and offers her reflections on the nerve-wracking, topsy-turvy free speech climate in the United States today. Show Notes* Follow Sarah on twitter here, bluesky here* Here is the official Johns Hopkins Press link to Sarah's book* On international student enrollment, see “International Students by the Numbers,” Inside Higher Ed * On Confucius Institutes, see Ethan Epstein, “How China Infiltrated U.S. Classrooms,” Politico Magazine, January 17, 2018* On the Olympics poster controversy at George Washington University, see:* Amna's interview with Badiucao, the poster's artist* Jeff's article on the dust-up in the Chronicle of Higher Education* this extraordinary open letter from the George Washington University Chinese Students and Scholars Association. On the subject of “sensitivity exploitation,” GW's CSSA drew quite shamelessly from social justice discourse: * On the challenges facing China scholars, see:* Perry Link, “China: The Anaconda in the Chandelier,” New York Review of Books, April 11, 2002* Sheena Chestnut Greitens and Rory Truex, “Repressive Experiences among China Scholars: New Evidence from Survey Data,” The China Quarterly, May 2019* On U.S. satellite campuses abroad, see Patrick Jack, “U.S. Universities Eye Branch Campuses as Way to ‘Survive Trump,'” Inside Higher Ed, May 16, 2025* Sarah describes Northwestern's cancellation of an event featuring an openly gay musician on its Qatar campus in 2020 here* On calls to have students, faculty, and staff fired because of disparaging comments about Charlie Kirk after he was murdered, see:* Ellie Davis, Gavin Escott, and Claire Murphy, “Employees and Students at These Colleges Have Been Punished for Comments on Charlie Kirk's Death,” Chronicle of Higher Education, September 17, 2025* Stephanie Saul, “The Firing of Educators Over Kirk Comments Follows a Familiar Playbook,” New York Times, September 22, 2025 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit banished.substack.com/subscribe
In a controversial post, AG Pam Bondi says “Hate speech that crosses the line into threats of violence is NOT protected by the First Amendment. It's a crime.” But does “hate” speech even exist under 1A? Laws to silence our foes today will be the same laws our foes use to silence us tomorrow. AG Bondi's post quickly received a Community Note: “The US Constitution protects most violent speech… The Supreme Court ruled it legal to “justify” or celebrate violence… but not “incitement” to “imminent” violence.” Even commenters from the Right were stunned that an admin official would propose a limit on the free speech of their political enemies: Chuck Garten writes “We must be very careful that our reaction to the Charlie Kirk shooting doesn't cause us to become the fascists that the left says that we are.” Robert Shibley is Special Counsel for Campus Advocacy at FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. A Duke Law graduate, he served 19 years at FIRE, including six as executive director. He launched litigation initiatives, represented students and faculty, and authored “Twisting Title IX.” Follow at https://x.com/rshibley Curtis Houck is Managing Editor at NewsBusters. With over 10 years at the Media Research Center, he has made more than 600 TV appearances and 1,000 radio appearances. His work has appeared in Fox News, Breitbart, Drudge, The Federalist, and more. Follow at https://x.com/CurtisHouck Jerome Hudson is Entertainment Editor at Breitbart and author of “50 Things They Don't Want You to Know About Trump.” He covers the intersection of culture, politics, and entertainment. Learn more at https://breitbart.com and follow him at https://x.com/JeromeEHudson 「 SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 」 Find out more about the brands that make this show possible and get special discounts on Dr. Drew's favorite products at https://drdrew.com/sponsors • FATTY15 – The future of essential fatty acids is here! Strengthen your cells against age-related breakdown with Fatty15. Get 15% off a 90-day Starter Kit Subscription at https://drdrew.com/fatty15 • PALEOVALLEY - "Paleovalley has a wide variety of extraordinary products that are both healthful and delicious,” says Dr. Drew. "I am a huge fan of this brand and know you'll love it too!” Get 15% off your first order at https://drdrew.com/paleovalley • VSHREDMD – Formulated by Dr. Drew: The Science of Cellular Health + World-Class Training Programs, Premium Content, and 1-1 Training with Certified V Shred Coaches! More at https://drdrew.com/vshredmd • THE WELLNESS COMPANY - Counteract harmful spike proteins with TWC's Signature Series Spike Support Formula containing nattokinase and selenium. Learn more about TWC's supplements at https://twc.health/drew 「 MEDICAL NOTE 」 Portions of this program may examine countervailing views on important medical issues. Always consult your physician before making any decisions about your health. 「 ABOUT THE SHOW 」 Ask Dr. Drew is produced by Kaleb Nation (https://kalebnation.com) and Susan Pinsky (https://twitter.com/firstladyoflove). This show is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit femchaospod.substack.comKat and Phoebe discuss free speech, government interference, sociopathic clout-chasing, personal memoir, and accidental death-by-self-induced-whiplash.LINKS:Woody Allen on Life and Death - by Bari WeissYou can take the girl out ofWhat is jawboning? And does it violate the First Amendment? | The Foundation for Individual Rights and ExpressionBrendan Carr…
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Send us a textMichael Anderson returns to discuss how neoliberalism has captured Western European politics and why Americans should be concerned about similar trends emerging at home.• Neoliberalism believes everything in society should operate like a corporation, including universities, charities, and NGOs• Universal ID systems in several European countries link citizens' personal information, banking, and health data, creating potential for government control• UK police make approximately 30 arrests daily for "offensive" online posts, showing the erosion of free speech• The World Economic Forum promotes global governance that removes accountability to citizens• European farmers face strict limitations on land use and livestock numbers under neoliberal environmental policies• America's two-party system has created a pendulum effect that has prevented deep entrenchment of neoliberal policies• Silicon Valley elites are major promoters of globalism due to their worldwide operations• Conservative philosophy focuses on individual rights while neoliberal philosophy focuses on group control• Observe what's happening in Europe as a preview of potential threats to American freedomsCheck out Past Conversations with Michael AndersonEpisode 192https://www.buzzsprout.com/2308824/episodes/14752478-192-intersectionality-with-politics-and-human-development-executiveEpisode 223https://www.buzzsprout.com/2308824/episodes/15409491-223-overcoming-political-tribalism-insights-from-michael-anderson-on-u-s-democracy-third-parties-and-social-media-s-roleEpisode 271https://www.buzzsprout.com/2308824/episodes/17180624-271-america-s-counterfeit-democracy-with-michael-andersonCheck his substackhttps://mikea0418.substack.com/Twitterhttps://x.com/MAndersonsblogHis Websitehttps://www.mikeandersonsbooks.com/Additional Articleshttps://www.eunews.it/en/2024/03/26/from-2026-eu-citizens-to-have-a-european-digital-identity/https://freespeechunion.org/?v=0b3b97fa6688https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/euroSupport the showFollow your host atYouTube and Rumble for video contenthttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUxk1oJBVw-IAZTqChH70aghttps://rumble.com/c/c-4236474Facebook to receive updateshttps://www.facebook.com/EliasEllusion/Twitter (yes, I refuse to call it X)https://x.com/politicallyht LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasmarty/
Senior Scholar at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), Sarah McLaughlin sits down with Bridget to discuss her book, Authoritarians In the Academy: How the Internationalization of Higher Education and Borderless Censorship Threaten Free Speech. Sarah addresses the problems of foreign authoritarian regimes infiltrating American academia; from students fearing family backlash back home, to governments attempting to silence dissenting voices in colleges outside their borders, to universities choosing foreign cash over free expression, there is a hidden free speech issue going on in higher education. She and Bridget cover the issues facing satellite campuses, Confucius Institutes, study abroad programs & research grants, how universities are not being transparent when it comes to ways they can't challenge the local laws, how money and global ambitions are clashing with academic freedom, the disconnect between what you promise your students and what the law is, why the fight for free speech is worse both globally and in the US since she started working for FIRE, and why higher education should be a place where students from around the world can come and access the freedoms America offers. Get Sarah's book here: https://amzn.to/4n5mwWv - Transform your fitness with science based training. Sign up for Caliber and get $100 off your first 3 months OR get the app for free at https://bit.ly/CaliberPhetasy - Quest offers 100+ lab tests to empower you to have more control over your health journey. Choose from a variety of test types that best suit your needs, use code PHETASY to get 25% off - https://www.questhealth.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- Walk-Ins Welcome with Bridget Phetasy - Podcast Bridget Phetasy admires grit and authenticity. On Walk-Ins Welcome, she talks about the beautiful failures and frightening successes of her own life and the lives of her guests. She doesn't conduct interviews—she has conversations. Conversations with real people about the real struggle and will remind you that we can laugh in pain and cry in joy but there's no greater mistake than hiding from it all. By embracing it all, and celebrating it with the stories she'll bring listeners, she believes that our lowest moments can be the building blocks for our eventual fulfillment. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- PHETASY IS a movement disguised as a company. We just want to make you laugh while the world burns. https://www.phetasy.com/Buy PHETASY MERCH here: https://www.bridgetphetasy.com/ For more content, including the unedited version of Dumpster Fire, BTS content, writing, photos, livestreams and a kick-ass community, subscribe at https://phetasy.com/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/BridgetPhetasy Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bridgetphetasy/ Podcast - Walk-Ins Welcome with Bridget Phetasy https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/walk-ins-welcome/id1437447846 https://open.spotify.com/show/7jbRU0qOjbxZJf9d49AHEh https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/I3gqggwe23u6mnsdgqynu447wvaSupport the show
ABC announced Wednesday that "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" would be taken off the air indefinitely amid pressure from the FCC over comments Kimmel made earlier this week about the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The Hollywood Reporter's Alex Weprin joins us.And, Bob Corn-Revere, chief counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, explains his concerns after Kimmel's suspension and what it means for First Amendment rights.Then, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) talks about politically motivated violence and threats to free speech, including death threats against him and his family.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
From Oslo's spotlight to global frontlines, Justin and Shroominic share how activists are harnessing AI for storytelling, translation, and rapid response while also navigating threats from authoritarian AI. Explore the core building blocks, decentralized models, and how anyone can begin experimenting today. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 02:25 - What “vibe coding” is and why it's a game-changer 02:43 - How a live website was built with voice commands in 8 minutes 04:26 - The core message behind the Oslo Freedom Forum AI demo 04:52 - How to start using AI today, even with zero technical skills 12:10 - What “AI for Activists” really means in practice 13:24 - Real examples of AI used for translation, response, and storytelling 15:10 - A surprising story of AI making a big impact for dissidents 21:14 - How authoritarian regimes are using AI—and how to counter them 24:04 - The foundational building blocks of modern AI 33:05 - A vision for AI's future—empowering individuals over the state BOOKS AND RESOURCES Nostr Account: Justin Moon. HRF's program: AI for Individual Rights. Newsletter: Financial Freedom Newsletter. X Account: Shroominic. Nostr Account: Shroominic. Related website: routstr. Related books mentioned in the podcast. Ad-free episodes on our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Check out our Bitcoin Fundamentals Starter Packs. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: Simple Mining HardBlock AnchorWatch Human Rights Foundation Linkedin Talent Solutions Vanta Unchained Onramp Netsuite Shopify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm
This week's episode is a collaboration with comedian Michael Regilio, host of Regilio v Everything. We talk about being dumb, young, and punk—which for Michael meant being a young Republican in high school. I take a trip down memory lane of that time I was cancelled in Dallas. And Michael shares with me all the insane things I had no idea were happening in the world. Did Michael scare me? Yes. But I'm still hopeful for the future. And I'm looking forward to Michael's forthcoming comedy special. Check out my book, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore: On the Death and Rebirth of Comedy https://amzn.to/3VhFa1r Watch my sketch comedy streaming on Red Coral Universe: https://redcoraluniverse.com/en/series/the-lou-perez-comedy-68501a2fd369683d0f2a2a88?loopData=true&ccId=675bc891f78f658f73eaa46d Rock XX-XY Athletics. You can get 20% off your purchase with promo code LOU20. https://www.xx-xyathletics.com/?sca_ref=7113152.ifIMaKpCG3ZfUHH4 Attorneys on Retainer https://attorneysforfreedom.my.site.com/signupattorneysonretainerus/s/?promoCode=LU51ZEZ324 Support me at www.substack.com/@louperez Join my newsletter www.TheLouPerez.com Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../the-lou-perez.../id1535032081 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KAtC7eFS3NHWMZp2UgMVU Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/.../2b7d4d.../the-lou-perez-podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb5trMQQvT077-L1roE0iZyAgT4dD4EtJ Lou Perez is a comedian, producer, and the author of THAT JOKE ISN'T FUNNY ANYMORE: ON THE DEATH AND REBIRTH OF COMEDY. You may have seen him on Gutfeld! , FOX News Primetime, One Nation with Brian Kilmeade, and Open to Debate (with Michael Ian Black). Lou was the Head Writer and Producer of the Webby Award-winning comedy channel We the Internet TV. During his tenure at WTI, Lou made the kind of comedy that gets you put on lists and your words in the Wall Street Journal: “How I Became a ‘Far-Right Radical.'” As a stand-up comedian, Lou has opened for Rob Schneider, Rich Vos, Jimmy Dore, Dave Smith, and toured the US and Canada with Scott Thompson. Lou has also produced live shows with Colin Quinn, the Icarus Festival, and the Rutherford Comedy Festival. For years, Lou performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (both in NYC and L.A.) in sketch shows with the Hammerkatz and his comedy duo, Greg and Lou. Greg and Lou is best known for its sketch "Wolverine's Claws Suck," which has over 20 million views on YouTube alone. In addition to producing sketch comedy like Comedy Is Murder, performing stand-up across the country, and writing for The Blaze's Align, Lou is on the advisory board of Heresy Press, a FAIR-in-the-arts fellow, and host of the live debate series The Wrong Take and The Lou Perez Podcast (which is part of the Lions of Liberty Podcast Network). How'd Lou start out? He began doing improv and sketch comedy while an undergrad at New York University, where he was part of the comedy group the Wicked Wicked Hammerkatz. Lou was a writer for Fox Sports' @TheBuzzer; produced The Attendants with Lorne Michaels's Broadway Video; produced pilots for FOX Digital and MSN Games; and was a comedy producer on TruTV's Impractical Jokers. Lou hosted the stand-up show Uncle Lou's Safe Place in Los Angeles, performed at the Big Pine Comedy Festival, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, Punching Up Comedy at Freedom Fest, and co-created the political comedy podcast Unsafe Space. Lou taught creative writing at the City College of New York, "writing the web series" for Writing Pad, and comedy writing workshops for the Moving Picture Institute. Lou worked with The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression as Communications Manager and later as a producer and consultant. Their video "Taking a Knee in Sports? For what?" was broadcast during a USC vs. Notre Dame football game and was a SILVER ADDY® WINNER at the American Advertising Awards. Lou is also a brand ambassador for XX-XY Athletics and Attorneys for Freedom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former FBI agent and Yale University lecturer Asha Rangappa talks about Kash Patel's leadership of the FBI, after criticism grows over Patel's handling of the investigation into who killed conservative Charlie Kirk. Then, in the wake of Kirk's death, some Americans have lost their jobs for their social media posts about the killing. We hear more from Will Creeley, legal director of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. And, actor Robert Redford has died at 89. Here & Now's Robin Young shares a portion of her interview with Redford from 2015. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 3: 5:05pm- Charlotte North Carolina Mayor Vi Lyles reacted to the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska by a man who had been arrested 14 times: “We will never arrest our way out [of] issues such as homelessness and mental health.” The New York Post editorial board was, understandably, incensed by the remarks. 5:15pm- During Monday's briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that President Donald Trump signed a birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein—and questioned the accuracy of reporting from The Wall Street Journal. 5:20pm- House Oversight Chairman James Comer told Fox News that he has seen evidence that even members of the Biden Administration's Department of Justice questioned Joe Biden's excessive use of the autopen. 5:30pm- Sean Stevens—Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) Chief Research Advisor—joins The Rich Zeoli Show. On Tuesday, FIRE released the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings, which ranks 257 of America's campuses based on free speech climate—overall, the nation's schools received a failing grade.
The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Show (09/09/2025): 3:05pm- On Monday, October 13th at 7:30pm—Rich will host New York Times best-selling author Jack Carr at the Zlock Performing Arts Center (at Bucks County Community College) in Newtown, PA. They'll sit down for an engaging discussion about Jack's latest thriller, Cry Havoc—the newest installment in his acclaimed James Reece series. Known for his real-world military experience and gripping, action-packed storytelling, Jack Carr brings an unmatched authenticity to the world of political and military thrillers. For tickets visit: 1210wpht.com 3:10pm- During Tuesday's briefing, independent investigative journalist Michael Shellenberger asked White House Press Secret Karoline Leavitt about the importance of preserving free speech in the United States—as it appears to be under attack in other parts of the world. 3:25pm- In an act of senseless violence, a Ukrainian refugee was brutally stabbed to death while on public transportation in Charlotte, North Carolina. The man charged with the murder is a career criminal with 14 prior arrests. Why wasn't he in prison? And why isn't legacy media following the story? Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the act “pure evil on full display.” Meanwhile, President Donald Trump condemned the act—emphasizing that the horrific murder was entirely preventable. 3:40pm- Sen. Dave McCormick—United States Senator from Pennsylvania—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss South Korea's Hanwha Group's $5 billion investment in the Philly shipyard, a senseless murder in Charlotte, a letter he and Sen. John Fetterman wrote to Pennsylvania college presidents imploring them to combat anti-Semitism on campuses, the Rose Garden Club, permitting reform, & deregulation. 4:05pm- While appearing on Fox News with Sean Hannity, New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli warned that his opponent, Mikie Sherrill, will adopt many of the failed policies promoted by Gov. Phil Murphy—including radical energy policies that are driving up costs for state residents. 4:10pm- On Tuesday, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson held a press conference to address the senseless murder of Ukrainian immigrant Iryna Zarutska while riding public transportation in Charlotte, North Carolina. 4:45pm- A woman goes viral for making pasta on an airplane, radioactive shrimp from Walmart, and Rich decides he's getting a dog! 5:05pm- Charlotte North Carolina Mayor Vi Lyles reacted to the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska by a man who had been arrested 14 times: “We will never arrest our way out [of] issues such as homelessness and mental health.” The New York Post editorial board was, understandably, incensed by the remarks. 5:15pm- During Monday's briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that President Donald Trump signed a birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein—and questioned the accuracy of reporting from The Wall Street Journal. 5:20pm- House Oversight Chairman James Comer told Fox News that he has seen evidence that even members of the Biden Administration's Department of Justice questioned Joe Biden's excessive use of the autopen. 5:30pm- Sean Stevens—Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) Chief Research Advisor—joins The Rich Zeoli Show. On Tuesday, FIRE released the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings, which ranks 257 of America's campuses based on free speech climate—overall, the nation's schools received a failing grade. 6:05pm- While speaking with the press on Capitol Hill, Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) said that Democrats who still embrace socialism are “morons.” 6:10pm- The Supreme Court has agreed to consider a case which questions Donald Trump's presidential authority to unilaterally impose tariffs on foreign nations. 6:15pm- Speaking with the press, President Donald Trump said he's “not happy” with Russia's reluctance to end its war with Ukraine. 6:20pm- In an act of senseless vio ...
Today I'm joined by The Radicalist David Josef Volodzko, news editor and senior writer at The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. If you have the means, FIRE is a great place to donate your money to. (Don't let the fact that I used to work for them sully your view of the premiere free-speech organization in the world.) David and I talk about his list of The New Yorker's racist staff writers, whether a hunger for ass makes one Black, Raja Jackson, and the curse my children put on me. I'm trying to forget the awful Thalidomide metaphor I made during the episode. It's not working. So here's my definition of Latinx — a word which, according to the center-left think tank Third Way, Democrats should stop using. I'm going to strike Thalidomide from my vocabulary as well. Check out my book, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore: On the Death and Rebirth of Comedy https://amzn.to/3VhFa1r Watch my sketch comedy streaming on Red Coral Universe: https://redcoraluniverse.com/en/series/the-lou-perez-comedy-68501a2fd369683d0f2a2a88?loopData=true&ccId=675bc891f78f658f73eaa46d Rock XX-XY Athletics. You can get 20% off your purchase with promo code LOU20. https://www.xx-xyathletics.com/?sca_ref=7113152.ifIMaKpCG3ZfUHH4 Attorneys on Retainer https://attorneysforfreedom.my.site.com/signupattorneysonretainerus/s/?promoCode=LU51ZEZ324 Support me at www.substack.com/@louperez Join my newsletter www.TheLouPerez.com Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../the-lou-perez.../id1535032081 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KAtC7eFS3NHWMZp2UgMVU Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/.../2b7d4d.../the-lou-perez-podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb5trMQQvT077-L1roE0iZyAgT4dD4EtJ Lou Perez is a comedian, producer, and the author of THAT JOKE ISN'T FUNNY ANYMORE: ON THE DEATH AND REBIRTH OF COMEDY. You may have seen him on Gutfeld! , FOX News Primetime, One Nation with Brian Kilmeade, and Open to Debate (with Michael Ian Black). Lou was the Head Writer and Producer of the Webby Award-winning comedy channel We the Internet TV. During his tenure at WTI, Lou made the kind of comedy that gets you put on lists and your words in the Wall Street Journal: “How I Became a ‘Far-Right Radical.'” As a stand-up comedian, Lou has opened for Rob Schneider, Rich Vos, Jimmy Dore, Dave Smith, and toured the US and Canada with Scott Thompson. Lou has also produced live shows with Colin Quinn, the Icarus Festival, and the Rutherford Comedy Festival. For years, Lou performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (both in NYC and L.A.) in sketch shows with the Hammerkatz and his comedy duo, Greg and Lou. Greg and Lou is best known for its sketch "Wolverine's Claws Suck," which has over 20 million views on YouTube alone. In addition to producing sketch comedy like Comedy Is Murder, performing stand-up across the country, and writing for The Blaze's Align, Lou is on the advisory board of Heresy Press, a FAIR-in-the-arts fellow, and host of the live debate series The Wrong Take and The Lou Perez Podcast (which is part of the Lions of Liberty Podcast Network). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why defending expression—even the speech you hate—is essential to democracy in 2025. Episode Summary: It was great to welcome back Greg Lukianoff, President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Greg is also a New York Times bestselling author and executive producer of the feature-length documentaries Can We Take a Joke? (2015) and the award-winning Mighty Ira: A Civil Liberties Story (2020). In this conversation, we dive deep into the evolving challenges to free speech, the myths that undermine it, and why defending expression—even the speech we disagree with—is essential to democracy. Drawing on personal stories, historical lessons, and his recent book The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech and Why They Fail, Greg discusses how free expression protects us from tyranny, the importance of principled advocacy, and how we can better engage across divides.
When Amy Coney Barrett was appointed to the Supreme Court, she was in some ways an unlikely choice. She was living in South Bend, Indiana, not New York or D.C. She went to Notre Dame Law School, making her the only justice that didn't go to Harvard or Yale. She's the mother of seven kids. And, at the time of her appointment, she'd largely spent her career as a professor, with just under three years on a federal appeals court. To put it bluntly, Amy Coney Barrett was an outsider. But people close to President Donald Trump saw something: She was an originalist. A former clerk for Antonin Scalia. A devout Catholic with real intellectual bona fides. And a rising star in the conservative legal movement. In short, she was the ideal jurist to replace the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. After her 2020 nomination, the left called her inexperienced and a religious zealot. They said her confirmation hearing was rushed, and that she would undermine trust in the Supreme Court. But with a 52–48 vote, just six weeks before the 2020 presidential election, Barrett was confirmed—without one Democratic vote. She took her seat at the highest court at just 48 years old, and became only the fifth woman to ever serve on the Supreme Court. Considering how our nation's most powerful people stick around into their 80s, she'll likely have a major impact on American law and life for decades to come. We're now five years into her time on the bench. And in a turn of events, CNN ran a piece last year titled “The Last Best Hope for Supreme Court Liberals: Amy Coney Barrett.” Newsweek ran “Amy Coney Barrett Is Liberal Justices' ‘Best Chance': SCOTUS Analyst ” and The New York Times ran “How Amy Coney Barrett Is Confounding the Right and the Left.” How did we get from “dangerous, religious zealot” to “last best hope”? On one hand, Barrett has done what one would expect of a Republican appointee: voting to overrule Roe v. Wade; voting to outlaw affirmative action; and voting against the administrative state. At the same time, she has voted with liberal justices in some of the most pivotal cases—and in Trump-related cases, she is the member of the conservative supermajority who has sided in Trump's favor the least. In short, Barrett surprises. She just wrote a new book called Listening to the Law: Reflections on the Court and Constitution, where she makes the simple but salient points: Her job is not to like all of her decisions, nor is it to please the media or a president. It's to follow the text of the Constitution, full stop. On Thursday night Bari sat down for a rare conversation with Justice Barrett at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall in New York City. Bari also asks her about key cases like Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the birthright citizenship case, nationwide injunctions, the shadow docket, transgender minors getting medical treatment, her willingness to dissent with liberal justices, her response to people who call her an “evil DEI hire,” and so much more. This show is proudly sponsored by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). FIRE believes free speech makes free people. Make your tax-deductible donation today at www.thefire.org/honestly New episodes of The Isabel Brown Show can be viewed on DailyWire+ here: www.dailywire.com/show/the-isabel-brown-showFollow Isabel on X: www.x.com/theisabelbFollow Isabel on Instagram: www.instagram.com/theisabelbrown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
David French and Sarah Isgur speak with Nico Perrino to discuss the origin story of Advisory Opinions and the few free speech issues where they disagree with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). Show Notes:—Origin story of Advisory Opinions—Disagreements between FIRE and AO—Why FIRE doesn't editorialize on the content of speech—Limits of presidential power—Free speech, the dread of tyrants—The prosecution of political figures—Cracker Barrel—State of the conservative legal movement Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
President Trump signs an executive order directing the DOJ to pursue prosecutions for flag burning despite longstanding Supreme Court precedent protecting it as free speech. Senior Counsel at Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Bob Corn-Revere, weighing in on whether it can survive a legal challenge. The Trump Administration targets soft-on-crime policies with new executive orders to end cashless bail in D.C. and cut federal funds to cities that allow it. Rapper Snoop Dogg sparks backlash after saying he was blindsided by an LGBT subplot in Pixar's Lightyear while watching with his grandson. BAU: Go to https://BAUmovie.com to watch the Artist of war trailer and learn more. Herald Group: Learn more at https://GuardYourCard.com
Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, author, and president of FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. You may know him from his previous books, The Coddling of the American Mind and The Canceling of the American Mind. His latest book, which was published earlier this summer, is The War on Words, Ten Arguments Against Free Speech—and Why They Fail. In this episode, we get into why Lukianoff is nota free speech absolutist, how October 7 shifted the campus speech debate, and where protest crosses the line into illegality. We also touch on the rights of visa and green card holders, President Donald Trump's intimidation tactics, and the troubling free speech climate in the UK. ----- Buy tickets for The Free Press Pittsburgh Debate on September 10th here:https://www.trustarts.org/production/103133 Buy tickets for The Free Press Live at The Comedy Cellar on September 14th here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices