Free Speech

Policy

Larry Flynt Fights to Shed Light on Missouri's Mysterious Death Penalty Drugs

Missouri, like many states, is secretive about the drugs it uses in executions.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 1.15.2015 1:26 PM

Policy

Pope Francis Supports Free Speech, Unless It Offends People

"You cannot provoke," the pope says, endorsing the terrorist's veto.

Jacob Sullum | 1.15.2015 12:19 PM

Civil Liberties

French Government Shows Stunning Hypocrisy on Free Speech

Arrests for speech at a march in support of free speech? Mais oui!

Andrew Napolitano | 1.15.2015 12:00 AM

Policy

Should Muhammad-Depicting Cartoonists Be Executed or Merely Imprisoned?

Pick a position in the Charlie Hebdo debate.

Jacob Sullum | 1.14.2015 1:30 PM

Charlie Hebdo Massacre

Charlie Hebdo, Hate Speech and Christopher Hitchens

Be It Resolved: Freedom of Speech Includes the Freedom to Hate.

Ronald Bailey | 1.14.2015 11:26 AM

Policy

Charlie Hebdo in the Dock

Despite its stand against the terrorist's veto, France treats offensive words and images as crimes.

Jacob Sullum | 1.14.2015 12:01 AM

Politics

George Clooney's Human-Rights-Lawyer Wife Is Helping Prosecute a Turk for Denying the Armenian Genocide

Days after her husband's 'Je suis Charlie' speech, Amal Clooney is fighting to deny the human right to express disbelief in a historical fact

Matt Welch | 1.13.2015 3:12 PM

Civil Liberties

This One Weird Trick Can Turn an Important Issue Into a Pointless Partisan Food Fight

The dumb debate about Obama's absence from a Paris rally

Jesse Walker | 1.13.2015 11:28 AM

Politics

Ron Paul: The Notion That Charlie Hebdo Was Attacked Over Free Speech Is 'fantasy'

To make room for blowback arguments, some libertarians and progressives are denying that slaughtering a newsroom is a free-speech issue

Matt Welch | 1.13.2015 11:23 AM

Civil Liberties

Chicago Students Vow to Destroy 'Hate Speech' As Soon As They Figure Out What It Is

What is hate speech? The aptly-named Chicago Maroon has no idea.

Robby Soave | 1.13.2015 9:30 AM

Culture

Charlie Hebdo's New Cover: "All is forgiven"

Matt Welch | 1.12.2015 5:00 PM

Politics

SCOTUS Grills Arizona Town Over Treatment of Church Signs

Justices appear to find free speech violation.

Damon Root | 1.12.2015 4:51 PM

ISIS

OMG! U.S. Central Command Hacked by Terrorists! Er … Not Exactly

Scott Shackford | 1.12.2015 3:50 PM

Politics

Matt Welch on 'The Right to Offend'

Matt Welch | 1.12.2015 3:34 PM

John Kerry

John Kerry Would've Liked to Go to Paris for the Unity Rally. Probably Better He Didn't

Dozens of world leaders showed up for the Paris unity rally but not Barack Obama, Joe Biden, John Kerry, or Eric Holder

Ed Krayewski | 1.12.2015 1:43 PM

Policy

The Misguided Case Against 'Dark Money' In Politics

Disclosing donors could impair democracy.

A. Barton Hinkle | 1.12.2015 12:00 PM

Politics

Matt Welch Talks Charlie Hebdo on WHYY at 10 a.m. ET

Matt Welch | 1.12.2015 9:46 AM

Turkey

Have You Ever Been in a Turkish Prison?

Charles Oliver | 1.12.2015 6:00 AM

Civil Liberties

VID: The Biggest Threats to Free Speech

Jim Epstein and Alexis Garcia | 1.11.2015 1:00 PM

Civil Liberties

Bollywood vs. Bin Laden: Why radical Islam fears pop culture

Amanda Winkler | 1.10.2015 2:00 PM

Civil Liberties

Four Charged for Taking Photos of Pig Farm Under Utah's 'Ag Gag' Law

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 1.9.2015 12:50 PM

Politics

"How the PC Police Threaten Free Speech" in America

Nick Gillespie | 1.9.2015 9:27 AM

Politics

One-Third of Americans - and 51 Percent of Democrats - Favor Hate Speech Laws

Nick Gillespie | 1.8.2015 1:44 PM

Civil Liberties

Acclaimed Writer Neil Gaiman Stands Up for Charlie Hebdo and Free Speech

Damon Root | 1.8.2015 1:15 PM

Civil Liberties

Judge Says Iowa State Wrong on All Counts in Free Speech Case

Robby Soave | 1.8.2015 12:57 PM

Civil Liberties

The Independents on Charlie Hebdo

Matt Welch | 1.8.2015 12:35 PM

Policy

How France Legitimizes Violent Responses to Offensive Speech

Jacob Sullum | 1.8.2015 12:08 PM

Politics

Charlie Hebdo Massacre Reactions: 'I'm All for Free Speech and Murder is Wrong, But…'

Anthony Fisher | 1.8.2015 11:40 AM

Politics

On The Independents: The Charlie Hebdo Massacre, Plus Katherine Mangu-Ward, John Tierney, Michael Weiss, Tim Carney, Driverless Cars, Green Nukes, Pot PSAs, and a New Enemy of Freedom

Matt Welch | 1.7.2015 8:30 PM

Civil Liberties

'Je suis Charlie'? No, You're Not, or Else You Might Be Dead

Matt Welch | 1.7.2015 3:16 PM

Civil Liberties

Catholic League President Bill Donohue on Charlie Hebdo: 'Muslims Are Right to Be Angry'

Robby Soave | 1.7.2015 2:55 PM

Free Press

Md. Legislator Kirby Delauter Doesn't Know How Rights Like Free Speech Work, Knows Threatening to Sue is the American Way

Ed Krayewski | 1.7.2015 2:20 PM

Civil Liberties

Georgia Supreme Court Considers Whether Nude Dancing at Strip Clubs Is a Protected Right

Damon Root | 1.7.2015 1:58 PM

Civil Liberties

Financial Times Writer Says Charlie Hebdo 'Just Being Stupid,' 'Not the Most Convincing Champion' of Free Speech

With friends like these...

Jesse Walker | 1.7.2015 1:03 PM

Terrorism

The White House on Charlie Hebdo, Then and Now

Scott Shackford | 1.7.2015 12:10 PM

France

Extremist British Islamist Makes Excellent Case for an Unadulterated First Amendment, Free of Exceptions for "Hate Speech"

Ed Krayewski | 1.7.2015 9:07 AM

France

At Least 12 Killed After Gunmen Attack Satirical Newspaper in France in Likely Islamist Attack

Ed Krayewski | 1.7.2015 8:24 AM

Politics

Reason TV Best of 2014: Strippers v. the Supreme Court!

Joshua Swain | 1.3.2015 4:19 PM

Politics

Best of 2014: Revenge Porn is Bad. But Should it be Illegal?

Amanda Winkler | 1.3.2015 10:07 AM

Policy

How Do Decisions Upholding Freedom of Speech and Religion Violate Civil Liberties?

Jacob Sullum | 1.2.2015 3:37 PM

Civil Liberties

U.K. Criminalization of Speech Is Really Starting to Scare Me

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 1.2.2015 11:05 AM

Civil Liberties

Best of 2014: Killer or Artist? Why Rap is on Trial.

Paul Detrick | 1.1.2015 11:32 AM

Civil Liberties

Free Speech Review: 22 Significant, Silly, or Otherwise Noteworthy First Amendment Cases From 2014

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 12.31.2014 2:00 PM

Politics

Watch The Interview and Stand Up for Freedom

Americans don't like being told what they cannot say or hear.

A. Barton Hinkle | 12.31.2014 10:30 AM

Politics

Ellen Degeneres-Inspired 'Dance Dare' Prankster Gets Thrown to the Ground by NYPD

Anthony Fisher | 12.31.2014 7:05 AM

Culture

4 Ways Neo-Victorianism Reared Its Ugly Head in 2014

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 12.30.2014 3:54 PM

Politics

The Independents Rides Again, With Lenore Skenazy, Kyle Smith, Mugshot Monday, NSA Document Dumps, The Interview, NYPD vs. BdB, and More

Matt Welch | 12.29.2014 8:32 PM

Censorship

If You Can't Say Anything Nice

Charles Oliver | 12.29.2014 6:00 AM