About this episode
Emerson Sykes joins Kamau to discuss the nuances of free speech as outlined in the First Amendment and its implications for civil rights.
It’s because of the First Amendment that we have a right to protest abuses of power, advocate for our neighbors, and defend our privacy. But what does the U.S. Constitution actually say about freedom of speech? This week, the ACLU’s Emerson Sykes joins Kamau to break down this fundamental right. We cover everything from why free speech issues aren’t always First Amendment issues to why 1A rights don’t mean much if they don’t protect everyone—including people and groups we don’t agree with. Our senior executive producer is Sam Riddell. This episode was executive produced by Jessica Herman Weitz for the ACLU, and W. Kamau Bell, Kelly Rafferty, PhD, and Melissa Hudson Bell, PhD for Who Knows Best Productions. It was recorded at Skyline Studios in Oakland, CA. At Liberty is edited and produced by Erica Getto and Myrriah Gossett for Good Get.
People in this episode
Hosts: Kamau, W. Kamau Bell
Guest: Emerson Sykes
Topics covered
- free speech
- First Amendment
- protest
- privacy
- civil rights
- freedom of expression
Keywords
- First Amendment
- free speech
- civil liberties
- protest rights
- privacy rights
- ACLU
- Emerson Sykes
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: ACLU, Who Knows Best Productions
Places: Skyline Studios, Oakland, CA
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