The freedom to express our opinions out loud, otherwise known as the “Freedom of Expression,” is quickly eroding under this administration. For now, the easy targets are international students whose dreams of living in a non-oppressive country and being able to speak out against policies perceived as unjust are gone. Students are labeled as terrorists or accused of abusing their visa privileges, and quickly bundled off to their home countries. But the threat doesn’t stop at foreign nationals. A new global survey reveals that support for free speech is unraveling within our own borders — and rapidly. Despite the U.S. having some of the strongest constitutional protections for expression, the 2025 Future of Free Speech Index shows America falling to ninth place globally, with the third-largest decline in support since 2021. Particularly alarming is the generational shift: younger Americans show significantly less tolerance for controversial speech, from flag desecration to support for LGBTQ+ rights, with double-digit drops in support across the board.
This trend cuts across partisan lines—free speech skepticism is rising among liberals and conservatives alike, even as both sides accuse each other of censorship. Compounding the issue, President Trump’s administration has taken a decidedly authoritarian turn, using state power to suppress dissenting voices. Baseless lawsuits against journalists, targeting of students for political views, and executive orders undermining free expression on campuses all point to a government increasingly intolerant of opposition. The irony is rich: while U.S. leaders lecture other nations about free speech, their own backyard is slipping into a climate of intimidation and self-censorship.
But history tells us it doesn’t have to stay this way. Moments of repression in the U.S.—from the Sedition Act of 1798 to the Red Scare—have often sparked powerful backlash and legal evolution in defense of speech. The same can happen now, if we choose to rise above the noise and recommit to principle over politics. We must actively protect spaces for dissent, encourage respectful disagreement, and resist the urge to silence rather than engage. Free speech is not just a legal right—it’s a cultural value that must be continually taught, defended, and practiced. If we want it to survive the digital age, it will take all of us. Go beyond the headlines…
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