Free speech

Is criticism of religion an intolerant act of bullying against a minority or a courageous challenge to established power?

By Mark White | Jul 7, 2023

ARTICLE

One afternoon last June, Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee living in Sweden, stepped in front of the largest Mosque in Sweden and lit several pages from the Quran on fire. Momika had sought and received a permit from the Swedish authorities for his provocative demonstration, and there were police monitoring the event.

The event, apparently involving two people, caused international uproar and condemnation from world leaders, especially in the Middle-East. It may affect Sweden’s prospects for entry into NATO, and both the Pope and Putin felt the need to weigh in.

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Religion and Free speech – Daniel Ben-Ami and Jacob Mchangama

By Free speech and the left conference 2023 | Jun 3, 2023

Conference

Panelists: Daniel Ben-Ami, Jacob Mchangama

Moderator: Daphna Whitmore

Description: Jacob Mchangama and Daniel Ben-Ami discuss the limits to free speech with focus on blasphemy, anti-semitism, and islamophobia.

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Reflections on Covid: One of the Most Elaborate Propaganda Campaigns in Modern History?

By Free speech and the left conference 2023 | Jun 3, 2023

Conference

Panelists: Max Blumenthal, Christian Parenti

Description: An exploration of the Covid propaganda from March 2020 to the present day; how the official Covid Narrative is unraveling (or not), the left’s support for authoritarianism, democratic societies’ descent towards authoritarianism, the rapid adoption of digital tech under the guise of public health, inequities created by Covid, capitalism and the wealth disparity, the psychology behind conformity, the conflation of ‘freedom’ and far-right beliefs, the state of health care, and more.

Max Blumenthal is a journalist and editor of the independent site The Grayzone. He is the author of several books and documentaries and is based in Washington, DC.

Christian Parenti is a professor at John Jay College and a journalist. He has written a number of articles about the pandemic, including How the organized Left got Covid wrong, learned to love lockdowns and lost its mind: an autopsy. Christian is author of the book The Soft Cage: Surveillance in America, from Slavery to the War on Terror.

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Holocaust Denialism and the Limits of Free Speech with Norman Finkelstein and Daniel Ben-Ami

By Free speech and the left conference 2023 | Jun 3, 2023

Conference

Panelists: Daniel Ben-Ami, Norman Finkelstein

Moderator: Sasha White

Description: Norman Finkelstein and Daniel Ben-Ami exchange opinions about Holocaust denialism, hate speech laws and the boundaries of permissible speech.

Daniel Ben-Ami runs the Radicalism of Fools website, which is about rethinking antisemitism. In over 30 years as a journalist, he has written for many publications, including The Australian, The Economist, Financial Times, The Guardian and Spiked. He has also written two books and contributed to several others.

Norman Finkelstein is a long time scholar and author of numerous books, including the Holocaust Industry, which generated significant controversy when it came out in the year 2000. Norman has written and spoken extensively on the Israel Palestine conflict, and his latest book is called I'll Burn That Bridge When I Get to It! Heretical Thoughts on Identity Politics, Cancel Culture, and Academic Freedom and can be purchased here: https://www.sublationmedia.com/books/i'll-burn-that-bridge-when-i-get-to-it.

Sasha White became a free speech advocate in 2020 after being fired for her personal comments on transgender ideology. She has written for Spiked online, Tablet Magazine, and 4W. She co-founded the Plebity Free Speech Fund and hosts interviews on the Plebity Youtube channel.

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Nadine Strossen on the History and Importance of Free Speech

By Free speech and the left conference 2023 | Jun 3, 2023

Conference

Panelists: Nadine Strossen

Moderator: Sasha White

Description: Nadine Strossen, former president of the ACLU, responds to a range of questions regarding the historical and enduring importance of the principle of free speech.

Nadine Strossen is past president of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) from 1991-2017. She is Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School, Senior Fellow of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) and author of the book HATE: Why We Should Resist it With Free Speech, Not Censorship. Her latest book is: Free Speech: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press fall 2023).

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Noam Chomsky on What Defines the Left and on the Principle of Free Speech

By Free speech and the left conference 2023 | Jun 2, 2023

Conference

Panelists: Noam Chomsky

Moderator: Mark White

Description: Noam Chomsky offers his thoughts on what defines the left and on the enduring principle of free speech. Noam Chomsky is a longtime scholar, author, teacher, intellectual, activist and social critic.

Noam Chomsky is a longtime scholar, author, teacher, intellectual, activist and social critic.

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Personal experiences and thoughts on identity politics, cancel culture and free speech

By Free speech and the left conference 2023 | Jun 2, 2023

Conference

Moderator: Tara Henley
Panelists: Amna Khalid, Jeff Snyder

Description: Tara Henley leads a discussion with Professors Amna Khalid and Jeff Snyder on their personal thoughts and experiences with identify politics, cancel culture and free speech.

Tara Henley is a Canadian writer and podcaster, and the author of the national bestseller Lean Out: A Meditation on the Madness of Modern Life. Over the past two decades, her work has appeared on CBC Radio and TV, and in dozens of newspapers and magazines across the country and around the world.

Amna Khalid is a history professor at Carleton College and writer on her substack Banished.

Jeff Snyder is a history professor at Carleton College with a strong interest in the issues of academic freedom and free speech.

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Nadine Strossen: Conference Keynote

By Free speech and the left conference 2023 | Jun 1, 2023

Conference

Nadine Strossen reviews the history and importance of free speech as she welcomes participants and viewers of Plebity's Free Speech and the Left conference.

Nadine Strossen is past president of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU),1991-2017. She is Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School, Senior Fellow of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) and author of the book HATE: Why We Should Resist it With Free Speech, Not Censorship. Her latest book is: Free Speech: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press fall 2023)

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Canada’s censorship bill becomes law

By Rozali Telbis | May 4, 2023

Article

After years of contentious debates, Bill C-11, Canada’s Online Streaming Act has become law.

As we’ve written here (Senate Passes Controversial Internet Censorship Bill) and here (Canada’s Plans to Regulate the Internet), this bill poses many dangers for Canadian users and creators alike.

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The woke left is to left as ersatz coffee is to coffee

By Mark White | Mar 26, 2023

Woke

One of the hallmarks of today’s woke left is to conflate speech with violence. Fearful of the ‘harm’ that might be experienced from hearing certain words, the woke left has become widely confused about the issue of free speech in general and between speech and literal, physical violence.

In New Zealand this week, Posie Parker was assaulted as she tried to speak–a mob surrounded her and forced her off the stage and ultimately out of the country. The group that prevented her from speaking has taken to social media to declare a great victory.

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