How ‘freedom of speech’ is weaponized to fight antiracism

Antiracism is now routinely framed as a threat to freedom of speech, but the tactic is not new. In 1965, William F. Buckley Jr. argued in a syndicated column titled, “Are You a Racist?” that the word “racism” was being used “indiscriminately.” This risked preventing a focus on real racism, such as that perpetrated by Hitler, he wrote, and also led to innocent people being denounced merely for expressing “controversial” opinions.

Sound familiar? Buckley’s warning about the censoriousness of antiracist politics was issued the same year as the Selma-to-Montgomery civil rights march....