

So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast
FIRE
So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast takes an uncensored look at the world of free expression through the law, philosophy, and stories that define your right to free speech. Hosted by FIRE's Nico Perrino.
New episodes post every other Thursday.
New episodes post every other Thursday.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 14, 2024 • 1h 1min
Ep. 208: Dodging censorship in Russia
The podcast delves into censorship in Russia, discussing Alexei Navalny's death, Putin's regime, and the anti-censorship platform Samizdat Online. They explore tactics to bypass censorship, potential threats to Putin, and ways to support freedom of expression against authoritarian regimes.

Feb 29, 2024 • 1h 23min
Ep. 207 Free speech news: NetChoice, Taylor Swift, October 7, and Satan
Join Alex Morey, Aaron Terr, and Ronnie London as they discuss a range of compelling topics on the podcast, from NetChoice oral arguments to Taylor Swift's cease and desist letter, doxxing incidents on college campuses, challenges with no-contact orders at Princeton University, and the legal implications of property destruction related to Satanic worship in public spaces. The conversation also touches on censorship issues in universities and debates surrounding viewpoint neutrality in public forums.

Feb 15, 2024 • 1h 14min
Ep. 206: CJ Hopkins compared modern Germany to Nazi Germany. Now he’s standing trial.
The podcast delves into CJ Hopkins' trial in Germany for likening modern Germany to Nazi Germany, his disputed crime, and the legal complexities surrounding free speech. It explores his background, move to Europe, and writing journey. The discussion covers Berlin during the pandemic, book censorship, and the defense of democratic rights amidst legal challenges.

Feb 1, 2024 • 1h 17min
Ep. 205: An anarchist’s perspective with Michael Malice
Michael Malice is a self-described “anarchist without adjectives” and is the author of several books, including most recently “The White Pill: A Tale of Good and Evil.” He is also the host of the podcast, “YOUR WELCOME,” and the subject of the biographical comic book, “Ego & Hubris: The Michael Malice Story.” Michael joins us today to explain why he hates the term “free speech,” and gives his thoughts on McCarthyism, anarchism, Twitter, and more. Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 0:46 Who is Michael Malice? 6:45 What is an anarchist without adjectives? 7:26 The definition of anarchism/prominent anarchists 8:01 How do we have free speech in an anarchist society? 16:54 The McCarthy Era 20:38 Students for Justice in Palestine 24:57 Should we advocate for a culture of free speech? 30:44 “Hitman” 34:01 What is the core right under an anarchist system? 36:26 Elon, Twitter, and free speech 44:38 Emma Goldman and McCarthyism 55:27 Cancel culture 1:01:37 From Emma Goldman to Solzhenitsyn 1:05:31 What is it like to live under an authoritarian regime? 1:12:23 The war in Ukraine 1:15:24 Outro Show Notes “Dear Reader: The Unauthorized Autobiography of Kim Jong Il” by Michael Malice “Hitman: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors” by Rex Feral (pseud.) “Khrushchev's Secret Speech” (Encyclopedia Britannica entry) “My Disillusionment in Russia” by Emma Goldman “Schenck v United States” (1919) “The Anarchist Handbook” by Michael Malice “The Gulag Archipelago” by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn “The New Right: A Journey to the Fringe of American Politics” by Michael Malice Episode Transcript

Jan 18, 2024 • 1h 3min
Ep. 204: “Liar in a Crowded Theater” with Jeff Kosseff
Jeff Kosseff, author of 'Liar in a Crowded Theater: Freedom of Speech in a World of Misinformation,' discusses the First Amendment, Section 230, and famous lawsuits on defamation. Topics include anonymity, age verification laws, and the ongoing debate surrounding Section 230.

Jan 4, 2024 • 1h 4min
Ep. 203: ‘Undefeated’ with Coach Bill Courtney
Bill Courtney is an American football coach, entrepreneur, author, and the subject of the academy award winning 2011 documentary “Undefeated,” which tells the story of Courtney leading a high school football team in an economically depressed area of Memphis, Tenn. to the playoffs. Courtney is the host of the An Army of Normal Folks podcast, in which he shares stories of “ordinary people doing extraordinary things in and around their communities.” His book “Against the Grain: A Coach's Wisdom on Character, Faith, Family, and Love” was released in 2014. In this episode, we discuss coaching, the surprise success of “Undefeated,” and how talking across lines of difference can heal a polarized America. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:25 Courtney’s background 5:41 The influence of coaches 16:50 How Courtney ended up at Manassas High School 18:50 Coaching in difficult environments 24:30 Bridging divides 30:12 Forgiveness and grace 35:57 Daryl Davis 42:45 The “death spiral” of division and polarization 53:15 What happened to Manassas after Courtney left? 54:00 How did the filmmakers find Manassas? 59:21 Was the documentary good for the school and the kids? Show Transcript

Dec 21, 2023 • 1h 4min
Ep. 202: The backpage.com saga
Guests Elizabeth Nolan Brown, Robert Corn-Revere, and Ronnie London discuss the Backpage trial—FBI seizure, federal prosecution, and concerns about protected speech and website rights. They also dive into the history of Backpage, the significance of classified ads, the protection of escort ads, content moderation, and federal memos. The podcast explores the implications of the case on free speech, the importance of Section 230, and the impact of federal financial regulators.

Dec 12, 2023 • 58min
Ep. 201: Crisis on Campus - X Space recording
Nico and FIRE President & CEO Greg Lukianoff appeared on an X Space to discuss the fallout from the recent congressional hearing on anti-Semitism involving Harvard President Claudine Gay, MIT President Sally Kornbluth, and former Penn President Liz Magill, who resigned last week following backlash over her testimony. Timestamps 0:00- Introduction 1:53 - History of FIRE 5:40 - MIT/Harvard/Penn presidents’ testimony 11:35 - How speech codes are abused and conflict over the definition of genocide 14:05 - Penn “water buffalo” incident 16:20 - Will universities take the wrong lesson from these hearings? 21:25 - Double standards on campus 23:41 - Standards for hostile environment harassment, Title VI 26:43 - Is there a university that is currently handling the situation well? 31:19 - Institutional neutrality 38:29 - Guidance for donors 41:51 - The mission of the university 47:35 - College admissions and political litmus tests 51:20 - Faculty viewpoint diversity 57:17 - The path forward Show notes Show Transcript The Canceling of the American Mind Congressional hearing FIRE’s College Free Speech Rankings Kalven Report “Mighty Ira” Richard Berthold (“anyone who can blow up the pentagon has my vote”) Student arrested for true threats at Cornell Skokie case (neo Nazi protest in Illinois) The Eternally Radical Idea (Greg’s Substack) Penn “water buffalo” case

Nov 30, 2023 • 1h 14min
Ep. 200: The state of free speech
We’re joined by First Amendment attorney Marc Randazza and British journalist Brendan O’Neill to discuss the state of free speech in the United States and Europe. Randazza is a First Amendment attorney and the managing partner at Randazza Legal Group. He has represented controversial figures throughout his career, including Alex Jones, Mike Cernovich, Chuck Johnson, and founder of the neo-nazi website the Daily Stormer, Andrew Anglin. O’Neill is a British author and journalist who served as editor of Spiked from 2007 to September 2021 and is currently its chief political writer. His book, “Heretic’s Manifesto,” was released in June. He last appeared on the podcast on October 20, 2016. Timestamps 0:00 Introduction 6:35 Do lawyers want to defend their enemies any more? 13:00 The oldest form of intolerance 17:19 Israel/Hamas and double standards 32:28 Hate speech laws in Ireland 51:35 Censorship from internet intermediaries 52:33 Debanking and corporate censorship 55:36 PruneYard case 1:01:44 Social media and the internet 1:05:18 The Digital Services Act Show Notes Show Transcript Brendan O’Neill at Oxford Union EU Digital Services Act Proposed Irish hate speech bill PruneYard Shopping Center v. Robins (1980)

Nov 9, 2023 • 1h 5min
Ep. 199: Israel, Hamas, and censorship at home
The podcast features Greg Lukianoff, Alex Morey, and Ronnie London from FIRE discussing the Israel-Hamas conflict's impact on free speech on college campuses. They address the importance of distinguishing between protected and unprotected speech, the challenges of institutional neutrality, and the use of double standards in speech codes and censorship. They also talk about accusations, free speech, and incidents of censorship and destruction of pro-Israel posters.