So To Speak: The Free Speech Podcast

Earlier this year, Jason Riley was “disinvited” from speaking at Virginia Tech due to concerns that his writings on race would spark campus protests. The Wall Street Journal columnist, Fox News commentator, and Manhattan Institute senior fellow wasn’t alone in seeing an invitation to speak on campus be revoked due to concerns that his appearance might prove controversial. He was in distinguished company. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, columnist George Will, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde, and hip hop artist Common were all similarly disinvited from speaking on a college campus in recent years. These disinvitations are part of a troubling trend whereby individuals and groups seek to prevent controversial speakers from appearing on campus. According to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s disinvitation database, since 2000 there have been 312 disinvitation attempts on campus. 128 of them have come since 2012. Our guest on today’s show had a rare disinvitation exp