FIRE staffers on why free speech is so important on campus

Here at the FIRE office, we practice what we preach. Much like the cases that come through our door, our staff run the gamut of the political and ideological spectrum. Needless to say, office debates are commonplace and we hardly agree on anything. One of the few things that brings us all together is a steadfast belief in the importance of free speech and the open exchange of ideas.

Colleges and universities exist to act as a true “marketplace of ideas,” where views are challenged and debate flourishes. Through our various roles at FIRE, we work hard to make sure free expression is not only safeguarded, but also embraced and encouraged. This year, we had our work cut out for us, as free speech was met with challenge after challenge, the biggest of which was the increasingly popular idea that expression is a threat to social progress, instead of the very way we achieve it.

In light of all that happened over the past year, we thought the time was ripe to peel back the curtain and show the real people behind our work. We don’t fit any mold. We simply come together to advocate on behalf of a freedom we each hold dear. Check out the video below to hear from some FIRE staffers themselves about why they think free speech rights are so important, especially on a college campus. I’d also encourage you to also check out FIRE’s new weekly video series, FIREside chats, to get to know our staff even more.

Thank you for working with us to support the critical values of free inquiry and individual rights!

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