Conversations With Coleman The Bipartisan Assault on Free Speech w/ Greg Lukianoff
30 snips
Aug 25, 2025 
Greg Lukianoff, an attorney and president of FIRE, discusses nuanced perspectives on free speech, arguing he is not an absolutist. He reflects on how October 7 shifted the speech debate and the thin line between protest and illegality. The conversation touches on the impact of Trump’s tactics, the rights of visa holders, and the worrying climate for free speech in the UK. Additionally, Lukianoff highlights the biases in AI knowledge and the complexities surrounding hate speech laws, advocating for a more nuanced approach to free expression.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Opinion Absolutism Over Absolutism
- Greg Lukianoff rejects strict free-speech absolutism but calls himself an "opinion absolutist."
- He argues everyone is entitled to their opinion and knowing true beliefs is crucial to understanding reality.
Limit Government-Backed Campus Rules
- Private colleges must still follow First Amendment limits when enforcing federal harassment rules like Title IX and Title VI.
- Greg advises that Department of Education regulations cannot require censorship the government itself couldn't impose.
Columbia Rant Then And Now
- Coleman recounts a Columbia student rant praising whiteness who was banned and mostly undefended.
- He contrasts that campus intolerance then with later protection of extreme anti-Jewish speech.
