Franklin Delano Roosevelt, U.S. president from 1933-1945, outlined four fundamental freedoms that he said human beings throughout the world ought to enjoy: freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from want and from fear.

On September 11 this year, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received an award named after those freedoms. During her acceptance speech she talked about how some governments may want to restrict freedom of speech and religion in order to stop hate speech against religions.

She was referring to what is called an “anti-defamation” policy that’s being considered at the United Nations. Proponents of anti-defamation policies claim that restricting hateful speech against religions will protect freedom of religion. Clinton says she strongly disagrees and that the U.S. will stand against any UN resolutions that curtail free speech in order stop defamation of religion.

“An individual’s ability to practice their religion should have no bearing on others individuals’ freedom of speech,” she said. “The protection of speech about religion is particularly important since persons of different faiths will inevitably hold divergent views on religious questions. And these differences should be met with tolerance, not suppression of discourse.”

So tell us what you think: is it ok to limit freedom of speech to “protect” religion?

President Obama hosted an Iftar dinner at the White House on September 1. Iftar refers to the meal each evening during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan when the daily fast is broken.

As part of his welcoming comments, Obama talked about the value of religious freedom. He said that the freedom to practice religion is enshrined in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and that one woman in attendance at the Iftar fought for the legal right to wear a hijab at school.

“Nashala Hearn, who joins us from Muskogee, Oklahoma, took a stand for that right at an early age. When her school district told her that she couldn’t wear the hijab, she protested that it was a part of her religion,” Obama said. “The Department of Justice stood behind her, and she won her right to practice her faith. She even traveled to Washington to testify before Congress. Her words spoke to a tolerance that is far greater than mistrust — when she first wore her headscarf to school, she said, ‘I received compliments from the other kids.’”

Have you ever stood up for religious freedom?

See other articles about religious garb.

Eboo Patel on a Righteous American Muslim. Pew Forum explores religion and the U.S. Courts with a study on the debate over government funding for religious groups. Civil rights groups say religious garb like the niqab and hijab should be exempt from proposed Michigan rules governing what witnesses wear when testifying in court.