Despite free-speech ruling, American discourse still has problems

🚴 Tour de France cyclists burn a LOT of calories 🚴 US Edition - Today's top story: Free-speech ruling won't help declining civil discourse [View in browser]( US Edition | 25 June 2021 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair A free-speech ruling from the Supreme Court is hailed as a win for a Pennsylvania woman who rudely expressed her disappointment at not making a high school varsity cheerleading team. But the ruling – that her school couldn’t constitutionally kick her off the team as a result – will not stem the torrent of crude, disrespectful discussion in American society, writes Nancy Costello, a Michigan State University scholar of free speech. She notes that many people misuse the First Amendment not as a tool of civic engagement, but as a weapon to avoid consequences of toxic speech. Costello points to some trends, including growing reliance on social media, that are [harming the country’s public discourse and explains why the Supreme Court is powerless to help](. Also today: - ['Belief polarization' and the GOP]( - [A tax haven is not for criminals, and other facts about tax havens]( - [Youth sports are just the latest in transgender culture wars]( For Pride Month we’ve put together a series of email newsletters on transgender young people. The four emails, delivered over about a week, recap [a series of articles]( written by leading academics exploring the history, medical care and conflicts, such as youth sports, precipitated by the rising visibility of transgender teens in society. You can [sign up for the newsletters here]( or click the button below. [Subscribe]( Jeff Inglis Politics + Society Editor A Supreme Court ruling on free speech does nothing about toxic online discourse. 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