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

[E. Wayne Johnson]

Is this the same Esther Patt that voted with the Democrat bloc to 
suppress discussion at the township meeting?

Is there more than one Esther Patt out there?

Stuart Levy wrote:
> 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
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