The Three Axioms of Free Speech

With regard to free speech and the free flow of information, I think there are three axioms people often lose sight of:

1. Real protection of free speech and the free flow of information is improbable and fragile—almost a miracle and an extraordinary civilizational achievement all Americans should proudly treat as a core part of our heritage.

2. Power hates free speech and the free flow of information and is constantly looking for ways to undermine both—meaning the government not only can't be relied upon to protect the 1st Amendment but must be understood as an ever-present threat to the 1st Amendment.

3. A good defense is always layered because you never want to protect something important with only one layer that, if breached, means the important thing is lost.

With these axioms as my basis, I'm disinclined to cut the government any slack on anything that even arguably infringes on 1st Amendment protections for anyone. Free speech infringements for the government are like a taste of heroin to an addict, like water looking for a crack to get into a basement. If ever the expression "Give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile" applies, it applies to governments and free speech.

So the default position of citizens should never be "Protect me by curtailing some aspect of speech!" Rather it should be "Not one fucking inch you would-be despots."

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