First Amendment Advocate Nadine Strossen Headlines OU’s Free Speech Week

The University of Oklahoma continued its annual celebration of Free Speech Week with a keynote discussion led by Nadine Strossen, the John Marshall II Harlan Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and past president of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Strossen’s lecture, “When Can Government Restrict Speech?” dealt with many questions surrounding the First Amendment and its application. Dr. Jeremy Bailey, the Sanders Chair in Law and Liberty and Director of the Institute for the American Constitutional Heritage at OU, joined Strossen by posing questions for a back-and-forth.

“Freedom of Speech has always been embattled,” Strossen said. “Just about everyone believes in freedom of speech for ‘me’ but not for ‘thee.’”

Strossen, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, reiterated that every form of speech, even those characterized as “hate speech,” must be protected to encourage a free society. She described it as an imperative, “Not only for individual self-fulfillment, but also the essential prerequisite for protecting every other human right and cause.”

Topics addressed during the 45-minute discussion varied from the spread of misinformation, to the responsibilities of social media platforms, freedom of speech on college campuses, and world events.

The discussion and celebration of Free Speech Week support continued what the university hopes to be an ongoing event that will attract a diverse array of speakers and carry on the university’s role to encourage the sharing of any and all ideas. 2023 marked the third year OU has celebrated Free Speech Week. As the flagship university within Oklahoma, OU’s desire to be a place of belonging for all falls in line with the celebration of Free Speech Week.

“When we think about what it means to be a public university, the principles of freedom of speech, inquiry and expression are fundamental to our very essence,” OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. said in a video promoting the week. “These ideals form the cornerstone of our American democracy and our academic enterprise.”

Last year, the university adopted the Chicago Statement – an overarching set of guiding principles that reinforce the importance of safeguarding freedom of expression on college campuses. These principles were echoed by Strossen’s sentiments during her discussion.

“It's critical to who we are as a people, and as an institution,” Strossen said. “The first obligation of government is the physical security of those sharing their thoughts and prevention of violence against those who participate.”

The discussion was capped off by a question-and-answer session with the audience.

The full discussion with Strossen is available below.

To learn more about Free Speech Week at OU, visit ou.edu/freespeechweek.