The limits of free speech
Today, Explained

The limits of free speech

B2Upper-intermediateSeptember 30, 202627 min

A recent law-school graduate in Texas is facing disciplinary action over her “overexuberant” response to Charlie Kirk’s murder. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto with help from Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Noel King. Counter-protesters display a painting of Charlie Kirk near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building on October 12, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. Photo by Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. New Vox member...

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She's a 26-year-old black woman with liberal politics and a law degree from Texas Tech.

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B2 · Upper-intermediate

Comfortable if you already follow TV news

A1 37%A2 30%B1 18%B2 10%C1 5%
  • 85% of the words are B1 or easier.
  • 175 words a minute: natural, fairly fast speech.
  • 174 harder words (B2 and up) in the whole episode.

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Ellie Fisher is a study in contradictions. She's a 26-year-old black woman with liberal politics and a law degree from Texas Tech. She founds the school's first chapter of the NAACP. She leads voter registration drives.

0:14

She brings exciting candidates to campus like Beto O'Rourke. Her parents in California were skeptical. She liked Texas. But Ellie?

0:24

To everyone's surprise, becomes sort of an adopted Texan. She has a wardrobe full of cowgirl accoutrement and becomes a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment. If you're going to law school at Texas Tech like Ellie is, if you want to have a social

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