The ACLU's
position on free speech and the First Amendment
is principled, although the recent spectacle of current ACLU leadership
left us puzzled
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"We
Have Met the Nazis of Skokie . . ."
Presumably, the ACLUs position on free speech and the First
Amendment is educated, principled and apolitical, although the recent
spectacle of current ACLU leadership declaring elements of so-called
campaign finance reform unconstitutional followed by a passel of
former leaders who trotted out to say the opposite left us puzzled.
Free speech, like Hollywood romances, can do that to people.
Comes then a
little internal dust-up at ACLU/Hawaii. If we have the story right,
that state chapter was considering inviting U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Clarence Thomas to participate in a First Amendment conference specifically
to debate national ACLU president Nadine Strossen on affirmative
action.
At that point,
the only three (self-described) "African-Americans in the Hawaii
ACLU chapter" began tossing epithets and objections to the
Thomas invitation. Words like "Uncle Tom," "Hitler"
and "Anti-Christ" were used to describe the justice. The
board decided not to invite him.
The multiple
ironies of this story should be lost on no one.
Most of us,
most of the time, are self-restrained in how we use our free speech
rights. Those who are not so restrained for just causes or
not provide the necessity for First Amendment protections.
The First Amendment allows the speech, and those who make it are
judged by those who hear it.
In this case,
one wonders whether the ACLU should consider a new slogan, derived
from that estimable swamp philosopher, Pogo: "We have met the
Nazis of Skokie, and they are us."
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