“It is the policy of the United States to: (a) secure the right of the American people to engage in constitutionally protected speech…” — Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship. White House Executive Order. Donald J. Trump. January 20, 2025

“When 97 percent of the stories are bad about a person, it’s no longer free speech.” — Donald J. Trump. September 20, 2025.

“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.” — Benjamin Franklin

I'm woke
awake to the evil trying to suppress 
minds
thought
words
they don't 
believe
or want you to 
believe. 

“Congress Shall Make No Law Respecting an Establishment of Religion, or Prohibiting the Free Exercise Thereof; or Abridging the Freedom of Speech, or of the Press; or the Right of the People Peaceably to Assemble, and To Petition the Government for a Redress of Grievances.”—First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America

“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” — Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Find the truth
Speak the truth
[who tells me the truth]

“They’ll tell you you’re too loud, that you need to wait your turn and ask the right people for permission. Do it anyway.” — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

The truth is like an empty
bottle
where someone will fill it
with

“If you believe in freedom of speech, you believe in freedom of speech for views you don’t like. (Nazi propagandist Paul) Goebbels was in favor of freedom of speech for views he liked. So was (Soviet dictator Joseph) Stalin. If you’re in favor of freedom of speech, that means you’re in favor of freedom of speech precisely for views you despise.” ― Noam Chomsky, linguist and social critic.

explosive
dangerous thoughts
heretical even
[be on the lookout]

“‘For a representative democracy ceases to exist the moment that the public functionaries are by any means absolved from their responsibility to their constituents; and this happens whenever the constituent can be restrained in any manner from speaking, writing, or publishing his opinions upon any public measure, or upon the conduct of those who may advise or execute it.’ An unconditional right to say what one pleases about public affairs is what I consider to be the minimum guarantee of the First Amendment.” — New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964). Excerpts from Justice William Brennan’s Majority Opinion.

They are always watching
listening
[careful]

“Freedom is…the right to write the wrong words.” – Patti Smith

Should I fall silent
is gaffers tape the best
or 
electrical tape
or 
that new invisible tape
so you can clearly see
my mouth
lips shut tight

“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” — George Orwell

I speak no evil
I hear no evil
I see no evil
Now, I am safe
[never]

“I raise up my voice — not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard.” — Malala Yousafzai

“To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker.” — Frederick Douglass

How far am I 
willing
to go
to fight
to speak
to 

Do I have a 
choice
to be a
coward
to be 
brave
to be 
alive
to be 
dead

or 

“When we speak we are afraid… but when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak.” — Audre Lorde