Reflecting on the Iran War: Gratitude for America’s Free Speech

The new Iran War has launched a million opinions across the globe. Our colleague Kerri took a different approach – asking the team to reflect on how the entire communications industry relies on the free speech Americans take for granted, and which the Iran people haven’t had for decades.

In countries like Iran, speech the government doesn’t like results in the speaker being threatened, jailed, and/or killed. But it doesn’t stop there. The people who facilitated the speaker often end up in the same circumstances, as do their families.

America’s speech laws aren’t perfect. Some people opposed the Biden administration’s jailing of two dozen pro-life activists, while others will point to the recent deaths surrounding Minnesota protests against immigration enforcement.

But the fact that millions of people can publicly protest, spread awareness on social media, and advocate for change through the media and to their elected representatives means that our speech is still mostly free.

Contrast that with Iran, where in the last few months tens of thousands of people were slaughtered for the crime of protesting against their government. 

As you go back to your day, please take a moment to read our piece above, or to watch a few minutes of our panel conversation with Iran International journalist Negar Mojtahedi about the freedoms we cherish in the West and hopefully will see flourish in Iran.