The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie How Foreign Governments Police U.S. Speech
Dec 10, 2025
Sarah McLaughlin, a senior scholar at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and author of *Authoritarians in the Academy*, dives into the troubling influence of foreign governments on free speech in the U.S. She highlights how countries like China and the UAE exploit U.S. campuses to suppress dissent. The discussion also covers the nuanced implications of American comedians censoring themselves in Saudi Arabia and the financial pressures universities face to maintain foreign ties, often at the cost of academic freedom.
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Leader Rhetoric Shapes Global Free Speech
- Presidents downplaying attacks on journalists gives dictators a de facto license to silence critics.
- Sarah McLaughlin warns that minimizing murders like Jamal Khashoggi erodes global free-expression leadership.
Why Comedy's Value Is Speech Challenging Power
- Comedy's power lies in challenging authority and subverting power through laughter.
- McLaughlin contends paid self-censorship at events like Riyadh Comedy Festival weakens that core role.
How Authoritarians Reach Beyond Borders
- Authoritarian states pursue 'censors without borders' by intimidating diaspora students abroad.
- McLaughlin describes family pressure and security contacts that deter Chinese students from speaking freely.
