"Defending My Enemy"

In 1976 a neo-Nazi group from Chicago sought a license to march through a Jewish suburb (Skokie)  but was roadblocked by a state court injunction.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) surprised the whole world by showing up in court and defending the First Amendment rights of American Nazis. The blowback from the public was immediate and ferocious.

In Chicago the ACLU executive director, who happened to be Jewish,* didn't yield to public pressure despite a huge membership loss, not to mention countless accusing fingers from Jews and non-Jews.

The ACLU's perseverance paid off. Freedom of speech had a happy ending---or beginning.

The United States Supreme Court's 1977 decision was a win for the ACLU on free speech and assembly (National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie, 432 U.S. 43).

Ironically the Nazi group chickened out and canceled its Skokie march at the last minute, knowing that it would face tens of thousands of counter-protesters. Free speech had turned out to be a peaceful, effective way of denazification.

In our democracy, if the First Amendment doesn't apply to all Americans, then we may not be able to prevent the government from denying free speech rights to some Americans, which will invite the specter of dictatorship. In other words, "free speech for some means free speech for none," as the ACLU puts it succinctly.

With free speech as an ideal and practice, the American government has to be a people's government. Meanwhile, the American people must not be a government's people.


Author: renqiulan
(To me, a book is a pile of blank papers until I read it. )

* Aryeh Neier, "Defending My Enemy"(1979)

 

所有跟帖： 

• The American government has to be a people's government. -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:09:50

• the American people must not be a government's people. -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:10:39

• 問好秋蘭 Thanks for sharing the insightful thoughts. -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:12:24

• Thank you, 盈盈! We have the right to speak truth to power. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:35:56

• We therefore also have the right to make politicians' lives -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:38:22

• a bit difficult. Life is never easy, by the way. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:39:40

• So, don't let politicians get fat and lazy. Haha! -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:43:03

• 一腔熱血勤珍重，灑去猶能化碧濤。用秋瑾的詩贈送秋蘭。：）） -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 16:30:35

• "free speech for some means free speech for none" -CBA7- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:33:56

• I cannot agree more! 秋蘭好，it means "All or None", right? -CBA7- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:36:48

• "All" here means everyone: friends and foes. -CBA7- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:38:25

• Generally speaking, it's true. But the word "all" may need -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:47:24

• some nuance. Free speech must not be taken for granted by -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:49:16

• someone with criminal motives. For example, whoever involved -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:51:17

• in child pornography has no ground to claim -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:54:16

• free speech rights.Freedom of speech isn't necessarily free. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:56:00

• That's right. Thanks for clarification! -CBA7- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 21:04:09

• That's a good quote from the ACLU. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:44:57

• "Defending My Enemy" 好像和聖經裏麵所說的“Love your enemies" 有異曲同工之妙吧。 -CBA7- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 20:43:42

• My understanding is that if, by defending my enemy, I am -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 21:06:11

• also defending everyone's freedom of speech, then it's the -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 21:09:07

• right thing to do. 聖經上所說的“愛你的敵人”，用意也許一樣。記得托爾斯泰就說過：勿以暴力抗惡。托氏 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 21:13:10

• 之言更近聖經本意，雖然也是難以付諸實行。 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 21:16:18

• 感謝小西！ -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 21:16:55

• 謝謝秋蘭，晚安！ -CBA7- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 21:20:51

• 小西晚安！ -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 21:23:44

• If you believe in freedom of speech, you believe in freedom -藍靈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 21:49:16

• of speech for views you don't like.. -藍靈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 21:50:00

• Precisely. Hi, 藍靈！ -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 21:52:36

• Hi, renqiulan! If you're in favor of free speech (your turn) -藍靈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:12:28

• that means you're in favor of freedom for speakers -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:17:49

• you despise. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:20:28

• Some people's idea of free speech is that they're free to -藍靈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:31:18

• speak, but never let anyone say anything back. (your turn) -藍靈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:32:44

• So they always enjoy their monologues & never enjoy feedback -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:35:51

• They must be monologists speaking to no one. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:38:22

• Free speech is not just about speaking (your turn) -藍靈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:40:24

• It is also about listening. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:42:17

• Who said that? -藍靈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:43:55

• Tim Cook, I guess. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:45:09

• Our freedom of speech is freedom or death (your turn) -藍靈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:46:54

• We got to fight the powers that be. Sounds like rap. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:49:06

• You bet. You must be a rap fan. -藍靈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:51:20

• Guilty as charged. Haha! Is it Public Enemy by Chuck D? -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:53:54

• Correct. Ready for the next one? -藍靈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:56:50

• Yes, Ma'am! -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:58:03

• If you want to overthrow the liberty of a nation, -藍靈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 22:59:41

• you must begin by denying freedom of speech to everyone -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 23:01:57

• except your good self. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 23:02:24

• No doubt about it. Good night! -藍靈- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 23:03:59

• Goodnight! -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/17/2023 postreply 23:05:07

• 我對FREE SPEECH的興趣從到美國幾年後逐漸消失 -永遠老李- ♂ (745 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 09:52:30

• 老李啊，書生需要理想和理論，盡管與現實不完全吻合。。。畢竟，這片土地上能說、敢說的地方還是要寬許多。 -唐宋韻- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 13:01:09

• 是是。我這人覺悟比較低，隻是柴米油鹽的小農，格局太小 -永遠老李- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 13:16:22

• 怎樣生活，怎樣態度，在法治範圍內悉聽尊便。法，可以改；治，更可以改，並無一尊之說，與牆國迥異。 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 15:50:26

• 一尊，牆國，法治，人治。。秋蘭是中國通！ -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 16:46:53

• 謝謝唐宋君來評。 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 15:51:54

• 謝謝永遠老李！各適其適，民主特色。自由不等於置身法外，而法治跟人治卻是兩碼子的事。目前，還是從人冶國度跑往法治國度者居多 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 15:43:32

• 北朝鮮脫北者就是生動的例子。 -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 16:45:43

• 我離開人治的地方很長時間了，我呆在法製的地方很長時間了，我目前隻關心這法製的地方的事 -永遠老李- ♂ (44 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 17:06:58

• 前幾天偶然翻看一下費孝通的《鄉土中國》，覺得中國人的鄉根特別深。當然，既來之則安之。晚安！ -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 20:19:27

• I have just changed the title of my post which is -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 15:54:37

• meant to be a book review (sort of). -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 15:55:23

• 謝謝秋蘭！每周日晚上的讀書沙龍如約而來。抱歉昨晚太困了。回個帖，就下線了。：）） -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 16:37:32

• 實在太感謝盈盈了。談不上沙龍，隻不過在帖子上說幾句書話而已。晚安！ -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/18/2023 postreply 20:10:16

• 謝謝秋蘭！歡迎參加美壇綜藝秀假日活動！：）） -梅雨潭- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/19/2023 postreply 08:26:22

• 感謝梅雨潭！當然樂意參加活動。 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/19/2023 postreply 17:34:36