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How to Use Th is Book Free Speech and Censorship: Examining the Facts is part of ABC-CLIO’s Contemporary Debates reference series. Each title in this series, which is intended for use by high school and undergraduate students as well as members of the general public, examines the veracity of controversial claims or beliefs surrounding a major political/cultural issue in the United States. The purpose of this series is to give readers a clear and unbiased understanding of current issues by informing them about falsehoods, half- truths, and misconceptions—and confi rming the factual validity of other assertions—that have gained traction in America’s political and cultural discourse. Ultimately, this series has been crafted to give readers the tools for a fuller understanding of controversial issues, policies, and laws that occupy center stage in American life and politics. Each volume in this series identifi es 30–40 questions swirling about the larger topic under discussion. These questions are examined in individu- alized entries, which are in turn arranged in broad subject chapters that cover certain aspects of the issue being examined, for example, history of concern about the issue, potential economic or social impact, or fi ndings of latest scholarly research. Each chapter features 4–10 individual entries. Each entry begins by stating an important and/or well-known Question about the issue being studied—for example, “Does freedom of speech protect ‘hate speech’ that denigrates people on the basis of their race, ethnicity, religion, sex, or