[Peace-discuss] ACLU-CU debate on hate speech/free speech/equal protection: Wed 4/23 7pm, Illini Union 314

[Stuart Levy]

I won't be able to attend this, but hope some of you can...

Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:03:16 -0500
From: Champaign County ACLU Announcements <announce at aclu-cu.org>
Subject: [ACLU-CU ALERT] Help Defend Free Speech
To: "announce at aclu-cu.org" <announce at aclu-cu.org>

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
On Wednesday, April 23 at 7:00 p.m. in Room 314 Illini Union, the University of
Illinois will sponsor a debate about hate speech and how to "balance" free
speech and equal protection.
 
FOR YOUR ACTION:
 
On Monday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. in the Urbana City Council chambers at 400 S.
Vine Street (first floor), the Urbana City Council will hear testimony from
many people urging the city to either: 
 
1 - censor an anti-Semitic program that is airing on
    Urbana Public Television (UPTV); or 
2 - end all public access programming on UPTV
    (to keep that one program off the air); or
3 - end all public access programming on UPTV that is not locally produced
    (to keep that one program off the air).
 
At the April 14 council committee meeting, the council members heard
testimony from six of us who advocate free speech and from many more
people promoting the notion that hate speech is not protected by the First
Amendment (or saying the city council should put community sensibilities
above concerns about the law and just take whatever action is necessary
to keep the offensive program off the air).

On April 28, advocates of free speech will be even more greatly
outnumbered unless YOU attend this meeting and speak against censorship.
Urbana council members are feeling the pressure from people who are
justifiably offended by the hateful lies about Jewish people that are
aired on the particular program in question and need to see and hear
that many people in the community want them to refrain from any action
that violates the Constitution, no matter how upset people are about
hate speech.

The U.S. Supreme Court and lower courts have been consistent in ruling
that governments cannot refuse certain programming, deny parade permits,
prohibit use of public facilities, etc. based on the content of speech
and that includes hate speech.  A little more than thirty years ago,
the ACLU filed suit against the Village of Skokie IL for refusing a
parade permit to the Nazi Party.  The ACLU won the case before the
U.S. Supreme Court.   The importance of this victory is that if Nazi's
cannot be denied a parade permit in Skokie, no group can be denied
access to public facilities because of the group's politics or beliefs.
That is a freedom that protects us all.

I hope you can come to the April 28 meeting and sign in to speak -
or at least fill out a sheet (they're on the table at the back of the
room) to have your name entered into the record as a supporter of the
First Amendment right to free speech.  (The agenda item is Urbana Public
Television (UPTV) Public Access Policies and Procedures Manual Revisions).

Thank you,
Esther Patt
President, ACLU of Champaign County