The book 's central theme is a warning that , in times of strife and increased fear , there is a danger of repression and suppression of dissent by those in government who seek to limit freedom of speech . In an interview with the author , Deborah Solomon of '' The New York Times Magazine '' wrote that American politics has frequently used fear to justify repression . Lewis pointed out to Solomon that , under the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 , individuals who protested against President Woodrow Wilson 's sending of soldiers to Russia were tried and given a twenty-year jail sentence . The author explained that his motivation for writing the book was to recognize the unparalleled civil liberties in the U.S. , including freedom of speech and freedom of the press . He identified reductions in freedoms of citizens as a result of governmental action taken after the September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Freedom for the Thought That We Hate