The concept of "free speech" is pretty easy to understand after a basic explanation. It's the idea that every human being has a right to say whatever they want, as long as what's said isn't threatening or endangering to an individual or group. Free speech is often viewed as something that must be practiced in order for a country to be truly free, and the average person you talk to will say that they are a supporter of free speech. However, there is an increasingly growing trend amongst several people who claim they support free speech, an issue that needs to be addressed and talked about before circumstances make it nearly impossible to do so.

The trending issue at hand is the failed acknowledgements of the double standards associated with free speech supporters who are loyal to a specific political party, social ideology, or any way of thinking that's met with supporters, opposers, and people without an opinion. The exact origins of this problem can be debated, because no single event caused it, but one aspect that really fueled the fire of these double standards was the 2016 Presidential Election. Both the Democratic and Republican parties used the same tactics to promote their frontrunners. "If you don't vote for Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump will be the president," and "If you don't vote for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton will be the president," were common mottos of the two major parties and their supporters. Both groups ignored the concepts of putting principle over party and instead put party over principle. They told people that if they weren't 100 percent in agreement with them on every single issue, no matter how big or minuscule, then they were against them. As a result, the 2016 Election skewed many people's opinions on the true definition of free speech. Today, most people are still in support of free speech, but not a whole lot of people are practicing what they preach.

If you are currently a student in college, or spend a lot of time on a college campus, chances are, you see a wide variety of diverse people with an array of diverse opinions. This is especially true at the college I attend, Temple University, a large, urban school that prides itself on the cultural diversity of its students and faculty. I've been very fortunate to attend this school, and learn about the wide array of people and opinions that make up our world. The meaningful discussions and respectful debates I've heard throughout my time here have taught me a lot about different ways of thinking.

Sadly, many schools are not like Temple, and their students and faculty often have a more homogenized way of thinking, whether it be far right like at a private southern Christian school, or far left like at a small liberal arts school. Many colleges and universities claim to be outspoken supporters of free speech, but when a student or faculty member states an opinion different from what the majority of the campus thinks, they are often immediately crucified and rejected rather than encouraged to start a discussion. While I do think extreme measures are sometimes justified, a recent example being that the UDel professor's statement on Otto Warmbier was clearly out of line, not enough people are coming out in defense of free speech when an opinion that is unpopular, but respectfully stated, is given.

The reason why I'm emphasizing the free speech double standard in terms of college campuses is because of the large array of young people who attend them. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. No offense to the Baby Boomer generation, but if we as Americans want to advocate for true freedom of speech, it's up to the Millennials to set the standard. This starts with a change in campus culture, in which as long as people stay respectful, and not make statements antagonizing or threatening an individual, group, or groups (displaying the Confederate flag is an example of a threat, as it's a symbol of white supremacy), differing opinions should be celebrated rather than chastised. If we the people, of the United States, want to end the divide caused by the 2016 Election and other events, we must learn to accept differing opinions as practices of free speech. We will be able to have discussions, respectful debates, and learn from one-another. I'm ready to discuss, how about you?