The Fixed Star: Recent Episodes
The Fixed Star
“If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein." -Justice Robert H. Jackson, West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette (1943)
In this episode we examine "The Prevention of Literature," an essay published in 1946 by George Orwell. The essay expresses concern with freedom of thought and expression, particularly in an environment where the majority of thinking in left-wing intellectual circles was is in favor of the communism of the Soviet Union.
In this episode, we explore the relationship between Jazz and Free Speech, and the influence that Nat Hentoff had on both.
Today we are taking a second look at the supreme court case, Mahanoy Area School District v B.L. as the ruling just came out this past week. If you want a background on the case and cases that lead up to it, please check out episode one, The Future of School Censorship. In this episode we look at the court decision and opinions to understand the ruling and implications for student’s freedom of speech going forward.
In this episode, we explore the following hypothesis: that one of our most significant cultural dilemmas is the pervasive preference for style over substance. We investigate this hypothesis by analyzing how it functions in areas of our society like music, sports, & television.
In this episode, we explore court cases that have paved the way for Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L., which may very well set the framework for the future of student's freedom of speech in the age of social media and virtual classrooms.