Free speech is not in peril in America
The problem is deeper than that

The great American debate about free speech is flaring again, this time around Elon Musk’s curating of Twitter. He is restoring speech rights or denying them, depending on your view. The predictable parties are declaring their positions and luxuriating in righteousness. They will change few minds, also predictably, because they are tussling over the wrong end of the stick. America has no problem with speech. It has a problem with listening.
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This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Listen up”

From the December 24th 2022 edition
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