The remedy for speech that is false is speech that is true. This

Hear now the wisdom of Justice Anthony Kennedy, spoken like a guardian of liberty: “The remedy for speech that is false is speech that is true. This is the ordinary course in a free society. The response to the unreasoned is the rational; to the uninformed, the enlightened; to the straight-out lie, the simple truth.” In these words is enshrined the essence of freedom itself—that in the contest between falsehood and truth, it is not the sword, nor the silence of suppression, but the truth spoken boldly that delivers victory.

The ancients understood this sacred principle. In the agora of Athens, philosophers and citizens debated beneath the open sky. There, in the clash of words, the rational was tested against the unreasoned, and truth revealed itself in the light of dialogue. They knew that to silence the false by force was to make slaves of thought, but to confront it with reason was to raise the mind toward wisdom. Thus, Kennedy echoes the ancient way: let speech meet speech, and let truth emerge triumphant.

History gives us the shining example of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who stood in an age when lies of segregation were proclaimed as truth. Against these falsehoods, he did not wield violence, nor did he call for silence upon his enemies. Instead, he answered their lies with the simple truth: that all men are created equal, that justice belongs to every race and creed, that love is stronger than hate. His words, carried upon the wind, shattered the unreasoned claims of his day and lit a path for generations to follow. This is the power Kennedy describes: falsehood may roar for a time, but truth, when spoken, endures.

And yet, falsehood is cunning. It disguises itself with eloquence, it cloaks itself in fear, it spreads swiftly among the uninformed. What, then, is our duty? Not to despair, not to retreat, but to meet ignorance with enlightenment. For every whisper of deception, there must be a voice of knowledge; for every lie, a voice of honesty. This is the ordinary course in a free society—not that error never arises, but that truth is always ready to confront it. Freedom lives not in the absence of lies, but in the courage to speak against them.

The lesson is profound: silence is not the remedy for falsehood. Suppression is not the answer to error. If you would preserve freedom, you must become a bearer of truth. When you hear what is unreasoned, speak the rational. When you see ignorance, share enlightenment. When you encounter the outright lie, proclaim the simple truth with clarity and courage. In this way, each citizen becomes a guardian of liberty, and society itself becomes resilient against the darkness of deceit.

Consider the alternative, O listener. In lands where truth was silenced—under tyrants, under censors—falsehood reigned unchecked, and whole nations were led into ruin. The voice of truth, though fragile, is the only flame that can dispel the shadows of lies. Thus, Kennedy’s words are not only observation but warning: if you would preserve the spirit of a free society, do not wait for others to defend truth. Take up the duty yourself, in speech, in action, in courage.

Therefore, let these words be inscribed upon your heart: “The remedy for speech that is false is speech that is true.” When you hear the clamor of lies, do not be afraid. Stand firm. Speak the truth with patience, with reason, with light. For though falsehood may rise like a storm, it is truth that endures like the mountain. And those who defend it become not only citizens, but stewards of freedom itself.