THERE has been much discussion recently of the concepts of freedom of speech and freedom of expression. The appearance of national flags on lamp posts has provoked a sharp division between those who feel it is a welcome expression of national pride and those who see it as a sinister signal of intolerance and even racism. I don’t accept the use of our flag by some political actors to divide us, just as I don’t accept the validity of their intent to divide in general. The discussion about flags is part of a wider debate about freedom of speech and expression. More than that, we accept that if freedom of speech matters, within common constraints, then everyone’s freedom of speech matters.