Dating back to ancient Greece, the concept of being able to speak freely and openly about your thoughts, feelings and opinions is a well-known basic right. In the U.S., the First Amendment has long been the protected vehicle to do so, but the Trump administration’s attacks on modern democracy are threatening to erase the amendment itself.
However, the concept of speech has been weaponized into a fear tactic in this new form of democracy.
According to the National Foundation for Individual Rights in Education survey, “Nearly 6 in 10 Americans feel that our nation’s democracy is threatened because people are afraid to voice their opinions.”
For college campuses, free speech is integral to civic education and representation. An open society depends on liberal education, and the whole enterprise of liberal education is founded on the principle of free speech, the ACLU says.
The American Civil Liberties Union also highlights the fundamental idea that free speech goes both ways and should be protected as such.
“How much we value the right of free speech is put to its severest test when the speaker is someone we disagree with most,” the ACLU says.
In the last nine months, the current administration has continually responded with fire to criticism and questions from the American people. The president’s actions have shown he only seeks to represent people who agree with him, and those who don’t agree with him shouldn’t have the same fundamental rights.
Specifically in the case of the increased National Guard presence in cities such as Washington, D.C., and Chicago, the control of what Trump calls “violent protests” and criminalistic cities shows an overstep of authority.
As armed agents creep into cities, they are actively working to show fear, intimidation and control. Hiding behind the veil of immigration enforcement, the move has been condemned by many.
This strict over policing approach is meant to instill fear, and is contingent on the American people falling for such fear.
With recent conversations surrounding the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the discourse relating to Jimmy Kimmel and college-campus protests, it is easy to see how the Trump administration’s tactics of political intimidation seek to limit backlash.
“The government is villainizing and threatening to punish anyone who dares to express anything but unequivocal support for its political views,” the ACLU says. “The Trump administration is enthusiastically abusing its power to intimidate anyone who criticizes its policies, and to silence those who won’t fall in line.”
With federal actions limiting expression and fearful of student voices, it is a stark reminder of the long road ahead.
Ohio University’s policy outlines open debate and deliberation, the critique of beliefs and theories and uncensored academic inquiry as all being essential to our shared mission of discovery and dissemination of knowledge.
The university policy places safety overall, followed by debate and deliberation, critique of beliefs and theories, as well as uncensored academic inquiry.
OU asserts these free speech rights have a long history of activism at the university, highlighting the foundation of a Bobcat education.
At the end of it all, if we’re too afraid to speak, then we’ve already lost sight of our guaranteed constitutional right.
Emily Stokes is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Have something to say? Email Emily at es542222@ohio.edu
