Justice Alito warns that freedoms of speech and religion are under attack on college campuses

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito delivered a commencement address at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio on Saturday, where he raised concerns about the erosion of freedom of speech on college campuses. Alito warned that freedom of speech is under attack on college campuses across the country, which goes against one of the core American values found in the US Constitution.

“Troubled waters are slamming against some of our most fundamental principles,” Alito said.

He emphasized the importance of universities as places for reasoned debate but argued that very few colleges uphold this ideal in practice. “Support for freedom of speech is declining dangerously, especially where it should find deepest acceptance,” he claimed.

Alito was seemingly referencing the ongoing unrest on college campuses, as students continue to hold anti-Israel Gaza camp protests that shut down opposing views and condemn those who side with the Jewish state.

In addition to freedom of speech, Alito also expressed concerns about the status of religious freedom in American society as a whole. Speaking before the Catholic university’s graduating class, He cautioned graduates that they may encounter pressure to endorse ideas they disagree with or abandon their core beliefs, urging them to stand firm in their values.

“Freedom of religion is also imperiled,” Alito explained. “When you venture out into the world, you may well find yourself in a job or a community or a social setting when you will be pressured to endorse ideas you don’t believe or to abandon core beliefs. It will be up to you to stand firm.”

As a practicing Catholic, Alito has previously spoken out about the diminishing support for freedom of religion in the United States. He has highlighted instances where religious individuals are labeled as "bigots" for holding beliefs that oppose same-sex marriage, as reported by the New York Post.