It Was Never About Free Speech

Few debates are as stubborn as the one over free speech. One camp holds that freedom of speech must be absolute: no one should be punished for voicing an opinion. The other insists that not everything deserves to be said. Neither position holds up cleanly. If someone else decides what may be said, are we free in any absolute sense? And if anyone may say anything, every opinion invites its counter-opinion. I believe no one should be punished for speaking their mind. But if one person has the right to voice an opinion, another has the right to reject it. Rejection is not punishment. Still, left unchecked, it can spiral into a war of opinions. Freedom of speech is a fundamental right, and it carries a romantic appeal. But how much freedom is too much? Calling for someone's blood into a microphone is, technically, free speech. It can incite real violence. Spreading lies about someone can ruin their reputation for life. That too is, technically, free speech. A constitution exists to…