Michael D. Brown

I believe in free and open speech, and support the right of anyone to say anything that isn’t libelous or slanderous. You can be as outrageous, politically incorrect, stupid, insightful or hateful as you want and I’ll support your ability to speak or write those words. Most people think of “free speech” in terms of [...]

Lexicology, the study of words and their meaning, or the relationship between words, is a fascinating world when different languages and cultures intersect one another. In the United States words are now the subject of a Supreme Court case in which the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) rules about obscenity and indecency are under review by [...]

Before I get to the substance of the Court’s decision this week, here are the facts as cited by the Court in prohibiting high school students from wearing an American flag t-shirt: On Cinco de Mayo in 2009, a verbal exchange and altercation arose between a group of predominantly white and a group of Mexican [...]

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution reads as follows: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of [...]

A quintessential aspect of American life has been the intellectually debating of issues of all kinds. The importance of debate and the free flow of ideas was recognized by the Founding Fathers when they incorporated the right of free speech as the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Debate and competition between ideas leads [...]

Greg A. Fultz put up a billboard showing himself holding what appears to be empty space, with the words “This Would Have Been A Picture Of My 2-month Old Baby If The Mother Had Decided To Not KILL Our Child!” and some endorsements (apparently later removed) from pro-life groups, including the words “PRO LIFE” and [...]