NY Times Takes Heat For Free Speech Editorial

The New York Times editorial board in an op-ed Friday announced a project in the upcoming months where they will identify threats to free speech and offer solutions, reports The Hill.

In an article titled “America Has a Free Speech Problem,” the Times editorial board takes aim at conservatives and liberals who they say have contributed to a decline in Americans feeling as though they can freely express their views “without fear of being shamed or shunned.”

“In large part, it’s because the political left and the right are caught in a destructive loop of condemnation and recrimination around ‘cancel culture,’” the board wrote. 

“Many on the left refuse to acknowledge that cancel culture exists at all, believing that those who complain about it are offering cover for bigots to peddle hate speech. Many on the right, for all their braying about cancel culture, have embraced an even more extreme version of censoriousness as a bulwark against a rapidly changing society, with laws that would ban books, stifle teachers and discourage open discussion in classrooms.”

The board looked at a poll that showed many Americans did not feel comfortable sharing their opinion and said it will continue a series that will focus on the threats to freedom of speech and how to mitigate them. 

“This editorial board plans to identify a wide range of threats to freedom of speech in the coming months, and to offer possible solutions,” they wrote. 

The editorial by the Times drew swift criticism from some on the left and right sides of the political spectrum. 

Some of the backlash from the right focuses on what they see as hypocrisy by the outlet, as they believe the Times has engaged in the same behavior they denounce in the article. 

“​​This is rather rich coming from an outlet which has effectively promoted censorship of very legitimate views regarding the reaction to the pandemic,” John Ziegler, former senior columnist for Mediaite, tweeted.

Jesse Watters: The New York Times faces 'cancel culture' for 'telling the truth' https://t.co/dtfXyyQCvH #FoxNews

— Tom Benson (@Tombenson1) March 19, 2022

Some of the criticism from the left denounced the article for saying the perceived attacks on free speech are on the same moral level between the two sides. 

Others on the left have justified the actions the Times denounced, saying freedom of speech doesn't mean people are not allowed to seek consequences for what a person says.