When Jaclyn Steele Thurmond presses play on a new episode of The Freq Show, she’s not just filling time—she’s opening a space. Episode 26 — a conversation recorded around the table with Sam Thurmond — is one of those rare episodes where the podcast becomes a practice ground for courage: the courage to speak, the courage to listen, and the courage to stay loving when the world is trying to pull us apart.

This episode, “Speaking Out in Times of Censorship,” lands in the middle of a noisier, more polarized moment than either of them remember. Jaclyn and Sam sit with the weight of online vitriol and real-world consequences, and they lay out a simple, tough invitation: use your voice with intention. Use it because free expression is not only personal — it’s political, cultural, and foundational.

Importance Of Free Speech In Democracy

Jaclyn names it plainly: freedom of speech is the lifeblood of democracy. She and Sam talk about the historical spine of debate in America and remind listeners that speech is protected under the First Amendment for a reason — because robust exchange of ideas is how a pluralistic society learns, corrects course, and defends human dignity.

They quote and lean on the tradition of thinkers like Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. as a reminder: free expression is messy and often unpopular, but the marketplace of ideas depends on allowing dissenting views to surface. Without that marketplace—without open debate and the ability to counter speech—we risk moving toward a public square where only one voice is amplified. That’s not a theory for them; it’s a lived concern, especially given what they’ve seen online lately: posts suppressed, conversations down-ranked, and people fearful to ask questions. The result? A culture that finds itself shying away from complexity—on college campuses, across social feeds, and within families.

Jaclyn reminded listeners that true democracy depends on freedom of expression, even when the ideas shared are uncomfortable or unpopular, because that is the only way societies can test and refine truth.

Speaking Out in Times of Censorship: Importance Of Free Speech In Democracy

What Is Online Censorship

On the podcast, Jaclyn and Sam spend a chunk of time defining what they mean by online censorship. In their words, it’s not simply about a platform taking down content; it’s about the slow, structural ways speech is muzzled:

algorithmic deprioritization that buries posts from view,
shadow-banning and demotion of accounts,
overzealous moderation that lumps legitimate dissent with hate speech or disinformation, and
corporate or state pressure that leads platforms to suppress certain ideas.

Sam pointed out on the podcast that what often feels like “content moderation” can, in practice, become suppressing free speech when entire viewpoints are silenced rather than debated. Jaclyn points out something urgent: when free expression is trimmed back on digital platforms, the consequences ripple beyond likes and follows. Conversations that once took place at kitchen tables now struggle to exist without being labeled or erased. That’s dangerous when discussing public health, foreign conflicts, or even debates about social justice. The couple remind listeners that while some forms of speech (true threats, incitement to violence, or classic fighting words) do not enjoy protection in many legal frameworks, the threshold for silencing voices must remain narrow and clear — not a blunt tool for political convenience.

The Podcast Moment: Jaclyn, Sam, and Speaking the Truth in Love

What makes Episode 26 felt — not just heard — is how Jaclyn and Sam model the very thing they advocate. Sam shares personal stories about how Jaclyn gives him the kind of honest, loving feedback that moves him to grow. He calls it the “jolt” he sometimes needs: not cruel, but candid. Jaclyn shares a story about a difficult conversation with her mother, where she literally wrote her intention at the top of a page — to restore harmony — before speaking.

On the podcast they teach listeners a practice: before you speak, ask yourself two simple questions Borrowed from Jaclyn’s therapist Banya — Is this loving? Is it healing? If the answer is yes, then the fear of being unpopular starts to make less sense. If the answer is no, maybe keep listening instead.

Sam’s voice anchors the episode: he is the listener, the one who learned to be brave by watching Jaclyn be brave. He models curiosity — he asks for understanding rather than assuming motive — and together they show what respectful debate looks like in real time: they disagree, push back, and then hold hands with the humanity of the person they disagree with.

Having Difficult Conversations

This episode isn’t an intellectual lecture. It’s practical. Jaclyn and Sam give concrete tips on how to have hard conversations without destroying relationship or retreating into silence:

State your intention up front. Jaclyn’s habit of naming harmony as her goal for a hard talk changed how those conversations land.
Use questions to invite depth. Sam recommends the tactic he learned listening to interviews: ask “Why?” and “Help me understand.” That invites people to go layers deep and often reveals that people don’t always have robust reasons for their hot takes.
Lean into I-statements. “I feel…” opens a window. “You always…” slams it shut.
Don’t confuse disagreement with dehumanization. They talk about how dehumanizing language is the first step toward something far worse — and how history shows genocides often begin with words that make people less than human.
Choose to model higher frequency. When someone hits below the belt, Jaclyn chooses to be the bigger person: “I wish you the best,” she says, and moves on.

They also name the legal and cultural lines: while freedom of speech is essential, speech that incites violence or directly harms others must be dealt with differently; nuance matters here, and they urge listeners to know the facts before accusing someone of wrongdoing.

New Tips Since the Episode First Draft

Jaclyn adds several new takeaways — things she’s learned as the conversation has continued to land in the community:

Micro-affirmations unlock dialogue. Small acknowledgements (“thanks for sharing that”) can diffuse defensive energy and foster open debate. Instead of silencing someone you disagree with, Jaclyn and Sam advocate for countering speech with thoughtful questions, honest feedback, and respectful debate — the very tools that help keep relationships and democracies healthy.
Rehearse your responses. Mentally preparing for hostile replies reduces reactivity.
Anchor to primary sources. When possible, link to original documents, rulings, or direct statements — it strengthens your argument and invites honest pushback.
Protect your bandwidth. Deciding which conversations you will enter and which you’ll refuse keeps you from being dragged into cycles of anger.

They remind listeners that on college campuses, in town halls, and across social media, the ability to disagree well is a civic skill — it fosters social cohesion rather than collapses it.

Final Thought (and Jaclyn’s Question)

On the podcast, Jaclyn and Sam don’t pretend to have perfect answers. What they offer is practice: an approach to life where speech is used to heal and to test, not to dehumanize or to silence. They remind listeners that freedom of speech and free expression are not opposites of social justice; they are the mechanism through which justice is contested, refined, and advanced — provided we protect open debate and prevent the silencing of dissent.

Jaclyn leaves listeners with a question she asks in the episode: What would it feel like to use your voice more often, if you aren’t already? For her, for Sam, and for the listening community, the answer is bound up in love, courage, and the long practice of listening — both to others and to the small voice inside that asks you to stand up, even if you stand alone.

Live on purpose. Live on frequency.

Ien Araneta - editor of The Freq Show & The Beckon Times

Speaking Out in Times of Censorship: Importance Of Free Speech In Democracy