In light of tensions on- and off-campus over rising Jew hatred and Jew-hating speech, I drift back to Skokie. That case marks a watershed for First Amendment protection of hateful speech. And it famously featured Jews on all sides: The speech targeted Jews; two Jews — ACLU executive direct Ira Glasser and ACLU staff attorney David Goldberger–led the fight to protect that speech; and many Jews and Jewish organizations supported Skokie’s efforts to stop the march and took issue with Glasser, Goldberger, and the ACLU.
So I wonder: What, if anything, does Jewish law say about free speech? Is there something Jewish about free-speech maximalism? Or is it the opposite? Curious if anyone has written on this.
Posted by Howard Wasserman on November 21, 2023 at 11:01 AM