Elizabeth Nolan Brown on Steven Salaita and the Tyranny of 'Hate Speech'

In the United States, hate speech is only considered beyond the bounds of protected expression when it's intended to incite imminent violence. But lately we've been witnessing a lot of "hate speech" mission creep, writes Elizabeth Nolan Brown. It seems hate speech allegations are now routinely leveled—and sticking—against anyone expressing a controversial viewpoint.  

The most recent example to make headlines involves professor Steven Salaita, whose job offer with the University of Illinois was rescinded in response to his tweets about Israel and Gaza. Brown looks at Salaita's situation and how it fits into a larger loss of respect for academic freedom and free speech on American college campuses.