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Welcome to the website for the Student Free Speech Alliance at UNC-Chapel Hill. Thank you for your interest in our new student organization. We look forward to meeting with all of our members, hearing their perspectives on free speech, and making a positive impact at UNC and beyond.
Defending free expression is the preeminent political challenge of our generation. Our nation’s governmental and social frameworks depend upon the free and robust exchange of ideas, and at this time in which civil discourse is most pressingly required, many have castigated free speech as backward, problematic, and dangerous.
Nevertheless, freedom is contagious and our message is persuasive. Those who experience the intellectual stimulation commensurate with difficult and uncomfortable conversations realize the great utility of free speech. We see that openly receiving others’ honest sentiments uncovers the deficiencies in our own thinking. We learn that we can test our own ideas against a marketplace of independent thinkers to sharpen our deeply held convictions. We realize that often the desire to silence speech for others’ protection is the result of our own desire to shelter our political preconceptions from scrutiny.
Perhaps in no place are these truths more evident than on a university campus. At an institution created to pursue truth, disseminate knowledge, and promote critical thinking, the right of educators, researchers, and students alike to express their thoughts freely and honestly is paramount. However, a majority of Carolina students are uncomfortable discussing controversial topics on campus and in the classroom, and far too many believe that physical violence is an acceptable response to ideas with which they disagree.
This organization exists to uplift the neglected elements of our campus discourse. To defend those who face cancellation and censorship for protected speech. To embolden students to speak freely, and not to self-censor. To promote the notion that free expression is both morally just and politically productive. To ensure that Carolina remains a place of light and liberty.
To do so, we depend on a network of engaged students to be brave. To be the first to offer a heterodox opinion in classroom discussions. To attend events featuring speakers with whom they disagree. To ask difficult and compelling questions. To contest ideas they find objectionable with counterspeech – not with ad hominem attacks or violence. To articulate the value of free expression to establish a truly open, respectful, and tolerant campus culture.
Let’s begin.