Freedom of expression is generally upheld as a core American value and a key ingredient for a functioning democracy! At the same time, we are constantly debating the limits to speech. Especially when speech is abrasive, hateful, deceiving, or simply careless, it becomes difficult to stand by our free speech principles. And on many college campuses, recent studies have found, students would rather not be exposed to views they oppose.

Have we lost our way? Have we maybe unlearned the skills needed to live in a society where speech is supposed to be free? For this episode, cohosts Ashley Lumbala, Sion Hardy, and Dr. Babette Faehmel reached out to five guests who think a lot about "speech" as part of their academic and professional role.

Joining us are Lonny Davenport, Communication Concentration student at SUNY Schenectady; Professor Richard Hamm, Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of History at SUNY Albany; Nikita Bowen-Hardy, the President of the Schenectady Chapter of the NAACP; Rae Doyle, Professor of Communication at SUNY Schenectady; and, by Zoom from his office at Monroe Community College in Rochester, Professor Joseph Scanlon, Associate Professor of Political Science.

To learn more about the fascinating topic of "how free is free speech," feel free to consult the following sources:

Samantha Barbas, "The Enduring Significance of New York Times Co. v. Sullivan" (March 18, 2024).

Zach Goldberg, Ryan Owens, & Lynn Woodworth, "Americans’ Troubling Views on Speech, Harm, and Violence" (November 2025).

American Civil Liberties Union, "Freedom of Expression" (March 1, 2002).

The views voiced on this episode reflect the lived experiences and uncensored opinions of the guests; they do not necessarily capture the full diversity of attitudes within a larger community, nor do they express an official view of SUNY Schenectady.