Since its founding in 1920, the ACLU has fought for the free expression of all ideas, popular or unpopular. Speech that deeply offends our morality or is hostile to our way of life warrants the same constitutional protection as other speech because the right of free speech is indivisible: When we grant the government the power to suppress controversial ideas, we are all subject to censorship by the state. How much we value the right of free speech is put to its severest test when the speaker is someone we disagree with most. An open society depends on liberal education, and the whole enterprise of liberal education is founded on the principle of free speech. Such restrictions deprive students of their right to invite speech they wish to hear, debate speech with which they disagree, and protest speech they find bigoted or offensive. Restrictions on speech by public colleges and universities amount to government censorship, in violation of the Constitution. The First Amendment to the Constitution protects speech no matter how offensive its content.
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