HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

Comedy, College, and the Fight to Save Free Speech: Can We Take a Joke?

Views:977
@ReasonVids

According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, 40 percent of millennials believe it would be appropriate for the government to restrict speech that offends minority groups. This mindset is manifesting itself on college campuses across the country, from the disinvitation of controversial speakers to top comedians refusing to perform at universities.

"For the overwhelming majority of my career what I've been fighting is administration overreach," says Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), which advocates for individual liberty in academia. "During that entire time the single constituency on campus that seemed to have the most common sense and seemed to understand free speech and due process the best was always the students. And somewhere, two or three years ago, it just kind of changed."

Lukianoff, who co-wrote a well-received article for The Atlantic titled The Coddling of the American Mind, believes the problem may stem from a lack of understanding and appreciation of the First Amendment.

"Freedom of speech is really a sophisticated concept," says Lukianoff. "We are so used to it in America that we sometimes forget just how sophisticated it is. Meanwhile if you have a K-12 environment or a parental environment when people are explaining that free speech is just the argument the bully, the bigot, and the robber baron make—that is morally persuasive. And if no one has ever explained to you otherwise, of course you are going to think that free speech is the mean person's argument."

To that end, FIRE partnered with director (and former Reason TV producer) Ted Balaker to produce Can We Take a Joke?, a documentary about the intersection of comedy, campus censorship, and outrage culture. The film, which was recently picked up by Samuel Goldwyn Films and is set for release this summer, includes interviews with Gilbert Gottfried, Penn Jillette, Lisa Lampanelli, Adam Carolla, Jim Norton, and others. FIRE and Young Americans for Liberty are sponsoring a week of preview screenings across college campuses starting April 13.

"If we just got back to an idea that it's important to hear opposing points of view, it's important to give the benefit of the doubt, and if you're intellectual you should consider it a duty to seek out smart people for whom you disagree, we can do a lot to combat this trend," says Lukianoff.

Approximately 7 minutes.

Cameras by Meredith Bragg and Joshua Swain. Edited by Bragg.

Visit http://reason.com/reasontv/2016/04/08/comedy-college-and-the-fight-for-free-sp for full text, links, and downloadable versions, and subscribe to Reason TV's YouTube Channel to receive immediate updates when new material goes live.

comedy
,
college
,
censorship
,
free speech
,
lenny bruce
,
can we take a joke
,
fire
,
greg lukianoff
,
libertarian
,
reason magazine
    Thumbnail for Why Merrick Garland Should NOT Be on the Supreme Court3:04
    Why Merrick Garland Should NOT Be on the Supreme Court
    ReasonVids
    957 views
    Thumbnail for NYC LIVE Exploring Manhattan Sunday Night (January 5, 2025) | ActionKid1:23:07
    NYC LIVE Exploring Manhattan Sunday Night (January 5, 2025) | ActionKid
    invidious
    144 views
    Thumbnail for The Biggest SCAM EVER! - Carbon Tax9:58
    The Biggest SCAM EVER! - Carbon Tax
    invidious
    149 views
    Thumbnail for Trump Signs Orders LIVE | 'I'd Like To Buy...': Trump Accepts Putin's Offer; US To Ditch Zelensky? | TIMES NOW1:00
    Trump Signs Orders LIVE | 'I'd Like To Buy...': Trump Accepts Putin's Offer; US To Ditch Zelensky? | TIMES NOW
    invidious
    121 views
    Thumbnail for vivo X200 5G: Not a "Pro" But Still MIGHTY Impressive. Most Underrated Flagship? 🤔 | Lim Reviews3:32
    vivo X200 5G: Not a "Pro" But Still MIGHTY Impressive. Most Underrated Flagship? 🤔 | Lim Reviews
    invidious
    118 views
    Thumbnail for Done in 20mins Chinese Vegetable Soup! | Yeung Man Cooking7:43
    Done in 20mins Chinese Vegetable Soup! | Yeung Man Cooking
    invidious
    134 views
    Thumbnail for [언젠가는 슬기로울 전공의생활 (Resident Playbook) OST] 고윤정, 신시아, 강유석, 한예지 - 달리기 (A Race) MV|#Shorts | Stone Music Entertainment1:00
    [언젠가는 슬기로울 전공의생활 (Resident Playbook) OST] 고윤정, 신시아, 강유석, 한예지 - 달리기 (A Race) MV|#Shorts | Stone Music Entertainment
    invidious
    72 views
    Thumbnail for Starbase Live: 24/7 Starship & Super Heavy Development From SpaceX's Boca Chica Facility | NASASpaceflight1:00
    Starbase Live: 24/7 Starship & Super Heavy Development From SpaceX's Boca Chica Facility | NASASpaceflight
    invidious
    362 views
    Thumbnail for He helped her 🤭🍃|| C drama 🎭~ The most beautiful you in the world | L I S A creation0:38
    He helped her 🤭🍃|| C drama 🎭~ The most beautiful you in the world | L I S A creation
    invidious
    131 views
    Thumbnail for Top 3 Medical Glove Hacks #goodtoknow #lifeskills #tutorial #vet #medicine #funfacts #surgeonlife | Vetventures0:57
    Top 3 Medical Glove Hacks #goodtoknow #lifeskills #tutorial #vet #medicine #funfacts #surgeonlife | Vetventures
    invidious
    115 views
    Thumbnail for So THAT'S where Bugs Bunny got it from! | Raphi Games0:17
    So THAT'S where Bugs Bunny got it from! | Raphi Games
    invidious
    423 views
    Thumbnail for Ben Shapiro reacts to Elon Musk doing the Roman salute 0:27
    Ben Shapiro reacts to Elon Musk doing the Roman salute
    bestofupgoat
    130 views
    Thumbnail for This PowerBank Never Dies! | TechWiser0:54
    This PowerBank Never Dies! | TechWiser
    invidious
    154 views
    Thumbnail for Single mom paid Florida auto repair shop owner over $2k for repairs she says were never done | ABC Action News4:20
    Single mom paid Florida auto repair shop owner over $2k for repairs she says were never done | ABC Action News
    invidious
    286 views
    Thumbnail for Need For Speed0:36
    Need For Speed
    bestofupgoat
    427 views
    Thumbnail for An artist's guide to dip pens | Chroma Moma9:16
    An artist's guide to dip pens | Chroma Moma
    invidious
    463 views
    Thumbnail for Nobody expected the Halo Infinite campaign to bang this hard | zanny22:21
    Nobody expected the Halo Infinite campaign to bang this hard | zanny
    invidious
    444 views
    Thumbnail for I just threw up0:18
    I just threw up
    EricaPolarBear.Archive
    253 views
    Thumbnail for Pictures of Things Being Worn Down Over Time! #41 | cardogjones0:33
    Pictures of Things Being Worn Down Over Time! #41 | cardogjones
    invidious
    192 views
    Thumbnail for Waiting patiently while the woodcocks do their thing1:06
    Waiting patiently while the woodcocks do their thing
    x0x7
    461 views
    Thumbnail for Don't Buy This Youtube Channel | Coffeezilla11:24
    Don't Buy This Youtube Channel | Coffeezilla
    invidious
    432 views
    Thumbnail for he must be deaf too1:02
    he must be deaf too
    bestofupgoat
    505 views
    Thumbnail for Islam : The Purpose | Muhammadan FAQ1:03:20
    Islam : The Purpose | Muhammadan FAQ
    knockitoff
    1087 views
    Thumbnail for Do you think that’s air you’re breathing?0:14
    Do you think that’s air you’re breathing?
    bestofupgoat
    134 views
    Thumbnail for Here’s a little video to show you what was going on in Weimar, Germany. jews are not indigenous a Germany. They are Semitic colonizers from the Middle East.2:15
    Here’s a little video to show you what was going on in Weimar, Germany. jews are not indigenous a Germany. They are Semitic colonizers from the Middle East.
    AOUisgay
    542 views

points

Permalink
Reply
comedy
,
college
,
censorship
,
free speech
,
lenny bruce
,
can we take a joke
,
fire
,
greg lukianoff
,
libertarian
,
reason magazine
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle