The Untold History of How the First Amendment Became an Essential Tool for Securing Liberty and Social Justice
February 15, 2022
A historical demonstration of the indispensability of the First Amendment. The amendment reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Who could argue against that? Finan--executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship and former director of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression--shows how corrupt politicians, bigots, reactionaries, and educated people who should know better have opposed freedom for those with beliefs they found disagreeable on grounds that those beliefs could cause harm. Finan's history includes plenty of triumphs but leaves the impression that there is always more work to do. During the 19th century, both abolitionists and women's rights advocates achieved many of their goals, but freedom for Black Americans and voting for women turned out to be only partial victories. The author devotes much space to the 20th- and 21st-century civil rights and feminist movements, which have endured countless struggles and even violence. Despite impressive achievements, both movements still face significant barriers, particularly from conservative legislators. War has always been a disaster for free speech, but the increase in government surveillance allowed in the Patriot Act following 9/11 is small potatoes compared to the situation during World War II, which featured massive censorship and arrests and the internment of Japanese American citizens. "While we live in a country where injustice persists," writes Finan, "the [U.S.] is a far more democratic country today than it was two hundred years ago or even sixty years ago." At the same time, the author discusses how progressives and activists for marginalized communities have taken up the traditional conservative penchant for suppressing opinions they find obnoxious, especially in universities and arts organizations. Randall Kennedy provides the foreword. An earnest and timely argument for the enduring value of the First Amendment.
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March 1, 2022
Finan, executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship, shows "how the powerless have used free speech to pursue [the promise of] equal rights for all." Finan says little about how the First Amendment came to be, and his discussion of protecting religious expression is not all that thorough. Nevertheless, this illustrated, concise book is timely, discussing protests after the police murder of George Floyd, the critical race theory controversy, and the regulation of online speech. Finan also offers clear explanations of free speech statutes and court cases, including libel law. Finan details the American Library Association's long-standing support of free speech, its Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read Statement, and support of librarians confronting censorship. He excels in using stories to bring free speech issues to life. Some individuals he portrays are well-known: John Quincy Adams, Frederick Douglass, Emma Goldman, President Eisenhower, Colin Kaepernick, and Teller of the duo Penn and Teller. Those who are lesser known are equally important and compelling, including anti-Federalist congressmen, abolitionists, women's suffragists, trade unionists, anarchists, civil rights activists, and environmentalists. Accessible, useful, and relevant.
COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
March 28, 2022
Finan (From the Palmer Raids to the Patriot Act), chairman of the National Coalition Against Censorship, issues a full-throated defense of free expression in this sharply focused history. Noting that in recent years progressives have begun to advocate for restrictions on language they regard as “hate speech,” Finan sketches the history of the labor, antislavery, women’s suffrage, antiwar, and civil rights movements in America to show how crucial the First Amendment has been to these and other progressive causes. He’s particularly insightful in explaining instances in which national security has been used as a justification for restricting free speech, noting that the 1917 Espionage Act was used broadly by the federal government to crack down on opponents of U.S. foreign policy, leading to prison sentences for prominent activists like Socialist Party leader Eugene Debs, as well as ordinary citizens, including a group of 30 South Dakotans of German extraction who petitioned the state’s governor to reform draft laws. Making an airtight case that those who wish to restrict speech will always present their reasons for doing so as a product of extraordinary times, Finan issues a stark warning against encroaching on the freedom of expression. Progressives will want to take heed.