In college, Zach Wood joined a group that invites provocative speakers to campus, hoping to spark dialogue. But he soon learned not everyone wants to hear from those with whom they disagree.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/LY5hMMjiN6k" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Political scientist Jeff Howard says democracies should allow all types of speech -- even if they're hurtful. The key, he says, is to respond with conversation rather than confrontation.
Novelist Elif Shafak has witnessed the dismantling of democracy in Turkey. She says all democracies depend on the right to openly exchange diverse, even oppositional, ideas.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/KCr8s57hdzY" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
When James Kirchick was in college, someone he found deeply offensive spoke on campus. Rather than protest, James attended the talk. He says free speech benefits everyone, especially the powerless.
