I thought that I was drunk when I read this but then I realized that it is the nine days and I can't drink wine [maybe on vodka?? Maybe high on uppers??]. The author [who I will not name מפני כבודו] is not a gen. z, liberal member of the woke movement but a respected, distinguished Talmid Chochom and long time psychotherapist. Which make his words even more surprising. [I still remember being a little boy and seeing a movie about this on TV not long after the whole thing happened. For years I associated Skokie with Neo Nazis....].
"In 1977 an American neo-Nazi group sought to march through the predominantly-Jewish Chicago suburb of Skokie. They were denied a permit by the local officials, in part because many Skokie residents at the time were families of Holocaust survivors. The outrage and personal anguish such a march would generate was considered adequate grounds for denying the group’s First Amendment rights of free speech and assembly.
The Nazis turned to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to represent them in court to acquire the necessary permit. The executive director then was Aryeh Neier, a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany. As well, many of the ACLU Board members were Jewish. After much debate, Neier made the decision to represent the offensive group. They were successful in their legal action and won the right to march.
The pushback was profound. The ACLU lost over 30,000 members and many Jewish organizations were extremely critical of the decision. Many thousands of counter-protesters came to Skokie to show support for the Jewish community. As it turned out, the march was never held. According to some contemporary commenters the group had achieved its objective of gaining national publicity for its cause without having to do much work. One might say that the ACLU had been played, and their defense of free speech was misguided. As a young man I certainly came to that conclusion. However, looking at events going on today it is clear I and many others were wrong and the ACLU was right. I offer my formal apology."
He then goes on to explain that free speech may not be stifled and thus the Neo-Nazis were correctly allowed to march.
CONFOUNDING!!!!
Unlimited free speech? OK - The UOSP wants to have a march [United Organization of Sick Pedophiles] wants to march. Do we allow them? Who is worse - a Nazi or a pedophile? I wouldn't want either of them marching. What about a group of cannibals? Are they allowed to march and to try to convince others to enjoy the same "gastronomical delights" that they do?
It is illegal to incite to murder. A Neo Nazi march is an incitement to murder. Free speech is GREAT. I love ANYTHING free. But there are limits.
