Washington Examiner Op-Ed from Ayaan Hirsi Ali—America’s free speech choice: Ideological straitjacket or free and open debate?

In the new “Philadelphia Statement” published last month, a group of diverse and thoughtful people came together to “recommit to principles of freedom that invite robust debate and dialogue, inspire peaceful coexistence rather than division, and lay the foundation for a shared future alongside those with whom we differ.”

I was more than happy to sign it. Here is why.

There is an ideological conflict raging in the United States. Two groups are diametrically opposed, and we are seeing the rift between them widen more and more each day. On one side are those who value protecting free speech and critical thinking. On the other are those who see everything through the prism of power.

This contention burst to the forefront of American life following the heinous murder of George Floyd. While I found it heartening, not only as a black woman but also as a human being, to see the unanimous condemnation of the killing, it also highlighted the differences between the critical thinkers and those who insist on a series of unchallengeable dogmas about race in America.

Since George Floyd’s murder, I’ve taken part in many private conversations and attended a number of conferences in which the conversation has inevitably turned to how to stop police brutality and reform the criminal justice system. But we didn’t limit ourselves to just police and criminal justice reform.

To read the rest of Ayaan’s article, click here.