Stephen Wolgast, Speaker
Stephen Wolgast holds the Knight Chair in Audience and Community Engagement for News at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at KU.
Free Speech in Times of Crisis
Presentation by: Stephen Wolgast
“Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…” With these simple words in the First Amendment, U.S. citizens are granted an inalienable right to express their opinions, a right that does not dissipate at times when society is under stress and disagreements get heated. Even when we do not agree with someone’s language, we believe in the speaker’s right to utter it—and that if we disagree with someone’s speech, the best response is more speech. History shows us, however, that sometimes people in positions of authority actively work to close off public discussion. This presentation will look at the reasons free speech is protected and explores how the use of social media and terms like "fake news" can hinder public discourse.
Contact Stephen directly about speaking at your event:
(785) 370-6350
wolgast@ku.edu