Compare and Contrast Essay: Stanley Fish vs. Tom Robbins

Many Americans are aware of their First Amendment right but some do not exercise it correctly and many disagree with how it is used.  Even then there is one thing that almost all can agree with, is that Freedom of Speech is a basic human right.  Yet English professionals such as Stanley Fish and Tom Robbins have different views on how it should be exercised but agree there are certain circumstances where they believe it has been violated .  They both explain this in their individual speeches.

While many agree with Robbins’s standpoint, many also agree with Fish’s standpoint.  One thing Fish stands very proud on is the claim that lots of people use freedom of speech to get out of any problems.  An example he uses in his writing “ The Free Speech Follies” is a student from Santa Rosa Junior College writing an insensitive title then quickly defends himself by stating ‘The First Amendment isn't there to protect agreeable stories’.  This is one of the situations he describes as the ‘modern version of crying wolf’(Fish).  By this he means individuals use the constitution to their benefit exercising their First Amendment when in reality there are no free speech issues to back up.  He believes many people are using judgement calls rather than their First Amendment.  A judgment call is a decision someone may use with their own ideas and opinions.  Fish also states that speech is free until it is violated when the government is brought in and believes this happens a lot in the academy, also known as in the education system.  Like the example I used above, many use their freedom of speech with pride and mix it with hate speech , until it gets them into trouble with the government.  Fish calls these individuals ‘merely confused, hapless and serial bunglers who risk criticism and censure inorder to uphold an American value’. 

On the other hand, Tim Robbins brings attention to the chilling effect and the idea of censorship.  The chilling effect is when one suppresses their complaints from an individual because they are of higher power and fear what they might do.  Robbins believes this happens often and is a violation of our First Amendment.  He uses examples from his personal life stating “A famous middle-aged rock-and-roller called me last week to thank me for speaking out against the war, only to go on to tell me that he could not speak himself because he fears repercussions from Clear Channel. “They promote our concert appearances,” he said. “They own most of the stations that play our music. I can’t come out against this war”(Robbins).  The famous singer did not want to speak up about the problem because of the power the company holds over them.  This is almost an adequate example of how the chilling effect works and Robbins believes this is a big problem because it is making people silence themselves and not be able to exercise their First Amendment.  In his speech Robbins shows how the chilling effect does not stand just for celebrities as he gives experiences in his personal life.  As the events of 9/11 just occurred there are many talks about war in the air.  Naturally many people are sharing their different opinions, except those whose opinions differ from the rest. 

While both have different approaches to the freedom of speech topics, both are calling out different ways our freedom of speech rights are violated.  Fish believes only the government can intervene on the First Amendment but Robbins shows a different approach.  Robbins feels as though individuals can also be responsible for not letting people speak freely.  Both give examples of each approach in their speeches.  In Fish’s speech “The Free Speech Follies” he gives an example of how a college editor can be seen trying to use censorship as a problem.  The editor published an article with the title “Jews Manipulate America” and of course this was not acceptable with people.  The editor then begins trying to protect themselves and states “first, that "we are committed to giving all people a voice"; second, that, given this commitment, "we print the opinions of others with whom we do not agree"; third, that to do otherwise would involve the newspaper in the dangerous acts of "silencing" and "self-censorship"; and, fourth, that "what is hate speech to one member of a society is free speech to another"(Fish).  Fish quickly debunks these claims because he believes it is not a government related issue therefore it is definitely not censorship.  In Robbins speech “ A Chill Wind is Blowing in this Nation” he gives examples of citizens' freedom of speech being silenced because they hold different views from the rest of the administration.  While Robbins speaks out against the war he is met with various people and states that “the public, like so many relatives and friends that I saw this weekend, sit in mute opposition and fear”(Robbins).   Both of these topics are still ongoing in our society as we speak and many are still trying to bring awareness to stop them.