It is a Debate: Free Speech and Free Dialogue

“It’s not up for debate” was a favorite dictum of many of my schoolteachers growing up. It’s possible, that that I was often attempting to debate pointless things. I garnered great energy from entering a conflict on the merits of important subjects like whether chocolate chip cookies should be served on Tuesdays at lunch instead of oatmeal raisin. So, I can see why my over-worked, and under-paid instructors ended conversations with what I deemed to be their preferred maxim.

But they were in a position of authority, and I was a child. It would have been…