Let the Other, Without Fear, Speak
Resources on Free Speech & Effective Political Communication
“I did not convert anybody… I have been the impetus for over 200 [white supremacist members] to convert themselves simply by sitting down and talking with them, and listening to them… I don’t have to respect what they’re saying, I’m respecting their right to say it, and in exchange for me doing that, they sit down and listen to me and then they have to think about some of the things I’ve said…” -Daryl Davis, Black American Musician
Miei car’amici1, we have some intense anniversaries coming up.
October 7th followed by (in the US) Columbus/ Italian-American Heritage/ Indigenous People’s Day then the Presidential Election a few weeks later.
I’ll be offline for most of it because… sanity. Because these issues need nuanced conversations, empathy, and depth—the ability to listen to opposing views and co-build solutions.
I’m sure you get it, which is likely why we’re connected.
Before I take a break, I wanted to contribute something useful— something encouraging and practical, regardless of which side you’re on, as long as you seek effective, ethical solutions to our current predicaments.
I decided sharing some resources on the humble, often-overlooked, yet utterly criterial freedom of speech could be of service. Free speech can’t directly solve our current issues. If, however, we uphold it when it’s hard and learn to use it well, free speech can “change the energy” around these situations. It can break up the gridlock that keeps these issues stuck in place, which allows for new possibilities where once all was bleak.
As an old saying goes, free speech is the first victim of tyranny. Protecting it is essential to preserving democratic problem-solving. Improving our skills in dialogue (not debate) is how we can use this freedom most effectively. It's a way to change hearts and minds, to de-escalate, to resolve conflicts at their core.
Trying to "win" by overpowering the opposition, without tending to the reasons behind their objections, continues the cycle of animosity, resulting sooner or later in blowback (see the downfall of reproductive rights in the United States).
Real breakthroughs come through cultivating understanding, something that we can achieve through dialogue (not debate).
Below are ideas and skills that democratic places should teach throughout our formative school years— how defending speech we despise keeps us free, and how we can turn our natural urge to censor into productive conversation.
In the US, this wasn't part of the education. So, if we want a safe, free future, we’ll need to teach ourselves and younger generations how to handle free speech better than we have over the last decade. Please share any additional resources, role models, or ideas you have in the comments.
Wishing you robust protection of your freedom of speech this season,
R.G.
Keeping the Game Clean: The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)
Someone has to ref the game. And in order to do so, you gotta stay neutral. Even when it’s hard and ugly. Especially when it’s hard and ugly.
FIRE does just that when it comes to freedom of speech in the United States. You’ll see them go to bat for people you passionately agree with and for people whose words you despise (I sure did).
The way we handle our disdain for another's speech can often be a bigger problem than the speech itself, particularly if we support punishing their words— no matter how heinous those statements are.
It’s human nature—wired into our survival instincts—to push away words we see as threatening, whether rightly or wrongly.
The right to speak freely counters this dictatorial impulse, protecting us from our own tendency to silence, shun, or punish speakers we disagree with. Silencing others, even for good reasons, doesn't give us freer communities or improved societies. It only erodes the freedoms we do have and resets the cycle of hostility.
From preventing artists’ lyrics being used against them in court…. to ensuring our bosses can’t fire us for our social media posts… to tackling the complex violations of free speech on university campuses, FIRE defends the right to express yourself.
They are an important organization with plenty of resources to deepen your understanding how freedom of speech works—or should work—in a country that offers some of the world’s broadest legal protections for speaking your mind.
Upholding Free Speech When it Gets Hard
Free speech in practice get complicated fast. What about hate speech? Where’s the line, like inciting a riot? What about misinformation, sacrilegious images, or flag burning?
I don’t have all the answers, and my own views are still evolving, but these folks from different points on the political spectrum offer some helpful starting points.
Wandering between the traditional conservative right and the classic liberal center-left, Quillette explores the "paradox of tolerance," explaining why we should defend even those calling for intolerance, censorship, and other ideas that threaten freedom.
Hanging out on the democracy-based left-of-capitalism, Freddie de Boer tackles the understandable, but flawed, impulse to legally prohibit bigoted speech and extremist ideas. While the goal to protect the vulnerable is noble, censorship doesn’t eliminate the threat—it simply pushes it underground until it’s rebranded and resurfaces in disguise. Germany and France’s bans on extremist ideas offer case studies on how hate speech laws fail to solve the problems underneath the words.
Clear and Present Danger: A History of Free Speech
Packed with historical lessons, inspiring models, and cautionary tales, this podcast explores the roots of free speech and its relevance today. From Socrates' execution to religious challenges under Arab Caliphates and European Inquisitions to the technological communication upheavals like the Printing Press, this pod traces the evolution of one of our most vital human rights—offering fertile ground for cultivating, what some like to call, ancestral wisdom.
What do we do instead of censor?
Steelman Your Opposition’s Argument: We humans tend to belittle, stereotype, and reduce opposing ideas to their weakest form—a tactic called strawmanning. In turn, our own positions are often misrepresented the same way, which sets off cycles of rising animosity, as we've seen over recent decades.
If we’re serious about solving problems, ending culture wars (not just winning them), and moving toward a prosperous, free, and sustainable future, we need to do better. One way to help us get there is by Steelmanning—the opposite of strawmanning.
This tactic involves presenting your opponent's argument in its strongest form. Where do their ideas make sense? What valid questions do they raise that you may not have answers for? How can your own position be improved to meet their challenges?
Steelmanning is useful for offering respect, engaging with opposing ideas thoughtfully, uncovering gaps in your own argument, and becoming more persuasive. Here's a helpful resource on how to practice this skill.
Starman Your Opposition’s Character: Building on steelmanning, starmanning takes it a step further by seeing your opponent as a real, complex person. This approach involves imagining your opponent in the most generous light possible—meeting them with good faith, assuming their intentions are noble and their logical is reasonable, and seeking to truly understand them, even when their words or tone are… less than cordial.
Angel Eduardo, who developed this method, explains why he developed this approach and how it’s completely transformed the conversations that people with opposing viewpoint have with one another:
Meet in a Space Designed for Effective Communication: The type of format we meet our opponents in has a vast impact on how our message is received. Protests are vital cornerstones of free expression and should always be defended as a right. They aren’t, however, always the most effective way to foster understanding, develop solutions, or change minds.
Enter the town hall— a forum designed to humanize opponents, cultivate understanding, and work toward widely agreeable solutions. Berivan Tamsen, an expert in bipartisan dialogue, envisions how this format could transform the tensions on American university campuses:
Grande Free Speech Finale with a Master
If you only have time for one resource, make it this one. Daryl Davis embodies everything we've discussed in one remarkable person. He has been the quiet motivation for over 200 members of white supremacist organizations to change their minds.
He did this— not by censorship, shaming, or canceling— but by tolerating the intolerant, engaging opponents in good faith, and listening with genuine curiosity.
His quote at the start of this letter captures the essence of his approach. His story, message, and training program offer tools to help us navigate even the toughest conversations with grace and deep humanity. Here’s his story:
Miei car’amici means “my dear friends” in Italian