Suzanne Nossel is the CEO of Pen America (https://pen.org/), a nonprofit organization that works to protect free speech in America and around the globe. Her book “…delivers a vital, necessary guide to maintaining democratic debate that is open, free-wheeling but at the same time respectful of the rich diversity of backgrounds and opinions in a changing country. Centered on practical principles, Nossel’s primer equips readers with the tools needed to speak one’s mind in today’s diverse, digitized, and highly-divided society without resorting to curbs on free expression….” [She] warns against the increasingly fashionable embrace of expanded government and corporate controls over speech, warning that such strictures can reinforce the marginalization of lesser-heard voices. She argues that creating an open market of ideas demands aggressive steps to remedy exclusion and ensure equal participation.

Rather than being afraid to speak, out Nossel emphasizes how important it is for each of us to do everything we can to protect the freedom of speech that is so vital to the functioning of a democratic society. It is free speech that will enable society to uncover truth, promote tolerance and lessen violence.

Contents:
Part I Principles for Speaking
Part II Principles for Listening
Part III Principles to Follow When Debating Free Speech Questions
Part IV Principles to Follow In Considering Speech-Related Policies