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Panelists: Amna Khalid, Jeff Snyder Moderator: Tara Henley Description: Tara Henley leads a discussion with Professors Amna Khalid and Jeff Snyder on their personal thoughts and experiences with identify politics, cancel culture and free speech. Tara Henley is a Canadian writer and podcaster, and the author of the national bestseller Lean Out: A Meditation on the Madness of Modern Life. Over the past two decades, her work has appeared on CBC Radio and TV, and in dozens of newspapers and magazines across the country and around the world. Amna Khalid is a history professor at Carleton College and writer on her substack Banished. Jeff Snyder is a history professor at Carleton College with a strong interest in the issues of academic freedom and free speech. *Note: Participation by any panelist does not indicate their agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of any other conference participant. The presence of any panelist does not mean Plebity endorses or shares their opinions.

For the complete transcript of this panel and other content join us on Patreon. We have no other form of income except your support. https://patreon.com/plebity --- Nadine Strossen, former president of the ACLU welcomes participants and viewers of Plebity's Free Speech and the Left conference. Nadine Strossen reviews the core principle of free speech in this conference keynote and reminds us all how free speech has historically been a cornerstone of all leftist activism. Nadine Strossen is past president of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU),1991-2017. She is Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School, Senior Fellow of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) and author of the book HATE: Why We Should Resist it With Free Speech, Not Censorship. Her latest book is: Free Speech: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press fall 2023) *Note: Participation by any panelist does not indicate their agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of any other conference participant. The presence of any panelist does not mean Plebity endorses or shares their opinions. --- Do you find the Free Speech and the Left conference interesting or valuable? Please consider supporting our work, by joining us on Patreon - https://patreon.com/plebity where you can also get the full transcript of every conference panel, and by donating directly to us via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KGKSKXSQJ62E4

A preview montage of speakers and issues from the Plebity Free Speech and the Left conference.

(Virtual) Conference 2023: Free Speech and the Left If you would like to be on our mailing list for occasional conference-only updates send us a note to: conference@plebity.org Plebity is rolling out a virtual conference with our partners New Zealand site Redline., India & Global Left and acTVism Munich. Reason for this conference The left has really been silent and allowed the traditional leftist commitment to free speech to erode and even fall out of favor. This has had an effect on a whole range of leftist issues, from journalism to environmental activism, worker’s rights, animal rights, etc. In our opinion, reconnecting over the issue of free speech and reclaiming it as a core principle is an existential issue for the left. We hope people will leave this experience with a renewed understanding of why free speech is so important, why there has been an historical attachment to free speech on the left, and the need to reclaim that connection. As an organization, Plebity is hoping the conference will lead to some form of loose coalition of leftist organizations and individuals who share a commitment to free speech as a core value. The first step is that we find each other and speak out. This conference is not meant to be a cheerleader rally for leftist ideology, but rather a provocative demonstration of the importance of free speech and the open exchange of ideas. We are not limiting the conference to voices on the left. We hope for and expect real debate on the issues. Keynote Speaker: Nadine Strossen, former President of the American Civil Liberties Union Topics: What is the left? Is the traditional left that held free speech to be a core value still relevant today? Is heterodox thinking a replacement for left ideology? What is hate speech? Does hate speech exist? If we could agree on a definition, should it be allowed? Should there be limits to free speech? If so, what should they be? Present realities and future prospects for leftist political parties in a world of growing right wing populism Media Censorship and Self-Censorship—particularly during times of war or crisis Historical connections of the left to free speech—workers rights, civil rights, minority groups in general Worker’s rights and current organizing at Amazon, Starbucks and elsewhere Empire and forever wars. Animal rights and free speech, what are ‘ag gag’ laws? Why does current left identity politics reject free speech? Free speech and antiwar dissent, Eugene Debs to Daniel Ellsberg to Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange. Israel-Palestine BDS, antisemitism, zionism. Is it possible to reject mutual cancellation and engage on the issues? Free speech and book banning. Is book banning real? Is it disproportionately deployed against liberals or conservatives? Free speech vs censorship by tech companies. Our online lives, private ownership of our public square and are there any solutions to surveillance capitalism? Workplace democracy: How does the issue of free speech impact activism for workers rights?

The Plebity Free Speech Fund has awarded a grant to Marguerite Stern, a French feminist who has been an activist in the trenches for many years. This was our first grant award. Members of our Patreon site reviewed the details of Marguerite's story and voted to move forward and award the grant to Marguerite, who after more than a decade of feminist activism is out of work and in need of a new living space. Most recently, Marguerite has been severely targeted and harassed by gender identity ideologues for her woman centered activism. In 2019, Marguerite began a campaign of posters put up in the streets to publicize the issue of femicide in France. The campaign spread to cities throughout the country and she has become a familiar name and face in France. She was just featured in the French version of National Geographic magazine to illustrate the word justice. How to donate: join now on Patreon and your subscription will go directly toward the Free Speech Fund and the maintenance of the Fund. Or consider a one time donation on our GoFundMe Free Speech Fund page: https: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/plebity-freedom-of-speech-fund ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Crossroads with Sasha White is an interview series about free speech, cancel culture, and the gender debates. You can find Plebity online at: https://www.plebity.org/​ Plebity's moderation policy: Plebity is dedicated to free speech. However, this is not the same as free speech absolutism. We welcome constructive engagement on the issues, whether we agree with your position or not. We don't allow personal attacks, spamming, or off topic comments that derail the conversation. Those kinds of comments discourage others from participating and exercising their own right to free expression. We will remove any comments from our channel that in our opinion fall into these categories.

Sasha White speaks with Baher Azmy. Baher is the Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, where he has litigated cases related to discriminatory policing practices (stop and frisk), government surveillance, the rights of Guantanamo detainees, rights of asylum seekers, and accountability for victims of torture. Baher joins me in this episode to discuss the history and values of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. What are the legal and ethical limits of free speech? What is the value of free speech in a democracy? We talk about these and other questions in this in-depth conversation. Crossroads with Sasha White is an interview series about free speech, cancel culture, and the gender debates. You can find Plebity online at: https://www.plebity.org/​ Support Plebity's Free Speech Fund: https: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/plebity-freedom-of-speech-fund Or become a voting member of the Fund and receive exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/plebity Plebity's moderation policy: Plebity is dedicated to free speech. However, this is not the same as free speech absolutism. We welcome constructive engagement on the issues, whether we agree with your position or not. We don't allow personal attacks, spamming, or off topic comments that derail the conversation. Those kinds of comments discourage others from participating and exercising their own right to free expression. We will remove any comments from our channel that in our opinion fall into these categories.

Murat Kurnaz was nineteen years old when he was arrested by Pakistani authorities and sold to the United States for a bounty. It was 2001 and the United States had distributed fliers in Pakistan promising money in exchange for suspected terrorists. Murat was a civilian who had not committed any crime. He ended up at the United States prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where for five years he was denied the right to due process and subjected to torture. His attorney, Baher Azmy, fought the Bush Administration to help get Murat and others released from Guantanamo. Baher is the Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, where he has litigated cases related to discriminatory policing practices (stop and frisk), government surveillance, the rights of Guantanamo detainees, rights of asylum seekers, and accountability for victims of torture. Baher joins me on Crossroads to discuss Murat’s case, the torture carried out at Guantanamo, and how the US legally and politically paved the way for the prison after 9/11. We also talk about the current crisis in regards to freedom versus security. Baher cautions using this framework without examining underlying assumptions about whose freedoms are lost and whose security is protected when the nation is asked to sacrifice liberty for safety. We also hear from him about the current situation at Guantanamo, how the remaining detainees have been faring during the pandemic, and whether they will be allowed to celebrate the holiday of Ramadan. -This interview was originally posted to Plebity.org on April 23, 2020- Crossroads with Sasha White is an interview series about free speech, cancel culture, and the gender debates. You can find Plebity online at: https://www.plebity.org/​ Support Plebity's Free Speech Fund: https: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/plebity-freedom-of-speech-fund Or become a voting member of the Fund and receive exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/plebity

On June 9th 2020, Tabitha Morris posted a video on Facebook in which she stated that she does not support the Black Lives Matter organization. When the video went viral, Tabitha’s place of work, a Kentucky hospital, received a flood of complaints and threats, and fired her from her job of twenty years. In her conversation with me, Tabitha says she was angry when she sat down to make that video, and adds that she “should have used a different tone.” She doesn’t apologize however, for the opinions she expressed, which she discusses again in this interview. The original video is accessible online. The response to Tabitha’s video prompted catastrophic repercussions for her. She has been unable to find a new job that is equal to the one she lost, unable to procure a lawyer who will represent her, and has been plagued by intense harassment, including threats of rape against her daughters. All you hear on the news is celebrities that are being canceled, famous people that are being canceled. The story is it’s not just celebrities. It is regular everyday American people—we don’t have millions of dollars to fall back on. – Tabitha Morris Tabitha has been campaigning to end ‘at will’ employment which means that in many instances an employer can fire an employee for any reason that they want. This is an issue that Tabitha and I were able to find common ground on because this affects all people who are in danger of losing their jobs when the mob decides that they said something undesirable or unforgivable. -This video was recorded on November 13, 2020- Crossroads with Sasha White is an interview series about free speech, cancel culture, and the gender debates. You can find Plebity online at: https://www.plebity.org/​ Support Plebity's Free Speech Fund: https: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/plebity-freedom-of-speech-fund Or become a voting member of the Fund and receive exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/plebity

Mary Kate (M. K.) is a feminist writer, activist, and engineer. She is the Founder and Editor in Chief of 4W and the Co-founder of Spinster.xyz. M.K. joined me to compare our experiences of being fired after expressing our gender critical views. We also discussed censorship, radical feminism versus liberal feminism, the left’s problem with class and free speech, and more! M.K. Fain's links: Her website and her writing: https://4w.pub/author/mk/ The social media platform she created: https://spinster.xyz/ Her twitter: @mkay_fain Crossroads with Sasha White is an interview series about free speech, cancel culture, and the gender debates. You can find Plebity online at: https://www.plebity.org/​ Support Plebity's Free Speech Fund: https: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/plebity-freedom-of-speech-fund Or become a voting member of the Fund and receive exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/plebity

Colin Wright is Managing Editor of Quillette, an evolutionary biologist, and an outspoken critic of the ideology he calls “the new evolution denialism.” Colin received his PhD in evolutionary biology from UC Santa Barbara in 2018 before taking a postdoctoral position at Penn State. He eventually left academia after he was the subject of a campaign of online harassment that began when he published a piece called “The New Evolution Deniers.” His work has garnered him attacks from gender identity activists but has also propelled him into the ranks of those who are actively challenging elements of identity politics. Colin joined me to talk about the increasingly mainstream movement to deny basic biological facts in the name of ideology. We also discuss his story of why he left academia, what he would say to others who may be thinking of speaking up, and the act of going against the crowd to speak the truth even when it would benefit you to stay silent. You can find Colin's articles here: https://quillette.com/author/colin-wright/ and here: https://colinwright.substack.com/ You can find Plebity online at: https://www.plebity.org/​ Support Plebity's Free Speech Fund: https: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/plebity-freedom-of-speech-fund Or become a voting member of the Fund and receive exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/plebity

Writer and programmer M.K. Fain joins Sasha White to discuss a December 8th article in The Atlantic entitled, “The Secret Internet of TERFs.” Kaitlyn Tiffany, the author of the piece, interviewed Fain both over email and the phone. M.K. Fain and I conduct a thorough forensic examination of The Atlantic article, which you can read here: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/12/reddit-ovarit-the-donald/617320/. We go through it line by line, discussing each assertion as well as looking at Tiffany’s sources and following various links that she included in her piece. We’re putting The Atlantic’s journalistic process under a microscope. We made every effort to provide a fair, honest and thorough assessment of each claim made in the article, and evaluate the sources that Tiffany relied on. M.K. Fain's links: Her website and her writing: https://4w.pub/author/mk/ The social media platform she created: https://spinster.xyz/ Her twitter: @mkay_fain The website that The Atlantic cited as the "secret internet of TERFs": https://ovarit.com/ Crossroads with Sasha White is an interview series about free speech, cancel culture, and the gender debates. New episodes every Friday! You can find Plebity online at: https://www.plebity.org/​ Support Plebity's Free Speech Fund: https: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/plebity-freedom-of-speech-fund Or become a voting member of the Fund and receive exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/plebity

Sasha White speaks with Helen Joyce. Helen is an executive editor at The Economist and is currently writing a book about gender identity ideology. She helps to frame the discussion around the transgender debate that we're exploring in this series. We discuss the rampant homophobia and misogyny exhibited by proponents of gender identity ideology, the legal and social ramifications of this movement, and the authoritarian nature of the ongoing debate. Helen breaks it all down in an engaging and meticulous way, from teen transitioners to redefining words to why she herself speaks out on this topic. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can find Plebity online at: https://www.plebity.org/​ Support Plebity's Free Speech Fund: https: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/plebity-freedom-of-speech-fund Or become a voting member of the Fund and receive exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/plebity

Julia D. Robertson is an author and journalist. She has contributed to Huffington Post, AfterEllen, Quillette, Curve, Feminist Current and more. She also has her own website, The Velvet Chronicle. She has been a long time critic of gender identity ideology, especially as it relates to the transing of young lesbians. She was an early voice of dissent around the idea that minors can consent to medical and surgical transition. Her first novel, Beyond the Screen Door, was published by Flashpoint Publications (formerly Regal Crest) in 2016. Julia joins Sasha for a conversation about her current ordeal. We also discuss lesbian erasure, gender ideology, and cancel culture. Julia is on twitter as @JuliaDRobertson. The Velvet Chronicle: https://thevelvetchronicle.com/ You can find Plebity online at: https://www.plebity.org/​ Support Plebity's Free Speech Fund: https: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/plebity-freedom-of-speech-fund Or become a voting member of the Fund and receive exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/plebity

Sasha White speaks with Amy: My guest in this episode is Amy, a fifteen year old girl who writes and speaks publicly about her experience as someone who doesn’t subscribe to gender identity ideology. We are in an era where it’s practically social suicide in her age group, particularly in the LGBT community, to disagree with ideas like “trans women are women,” or that being same-sex attracted is problematic because it’s considered transphobic. Amy is a lesbian and she’s faced online threats and harassment just for speaking out about her views on these issues. After following her on Twitter, and seeing her intelligent and insightful comments, I reached out to Amy and asked if she would be willing to speak with me. It is important to me that I kept Amy anonymous (you will hear her voice but not see her face or real name‒‒Amy is a pseudonym). This episode is special because we hear from a teenager who goes against the grain, who is a true independent thinker. Amy describes the culture of some of her peers as one of silencing and thought-policing. *parental permission was obtained for the recording and publishing of this interview You can find Plebity online at: https://www.plebity.org/​ Support Plebity's Free Speech Fund: https: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/plebity-freedom-of-speech-fund Or become a voting member of the Fund and receive exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/plebity