The Tolerant Society: Freedom of Speech and Extremist Speech in AmericaOxford University Press, 1986 - 295 páginas The First Amendment provides Americans with a far broader protection of free speech than that available in any other Western democracy, Lee Bollinger notes, and yet other democracies are not seen as significantly less open or more restrictive that the United States. Why do Americans guarantee people the right to advocate the overthrow of the government or advance racist or genocidal ideas? Why, for example, protect the right of neo-Nazis to march in predominantly Jewish Skokie, Illinois? In The Tolerant Society, Bollinger offers a masterful critique of the major theories of freedom of expression, and offers an alternative explanation. Traditional justifications for protecting extremist speech have turned largely on the inherent value of self-expression, maintaining that the benefits of the free interchange of ideas include the greater likelihood of serving truth and of promoting wise decisions in a democracy. Bollinger finds these theories persuasive but inadequate. Buttrressing his argument with references to the Skokie case and many other examples, as well as a careful analysis of the primary literature on free speech, he contends that the real value of toloeration of extremist speech lies in the extraordinary self-control toward antisocial behavior that it elicits: society is stengthened by the exercise of tolerance, he maintains. The problem of finding an appropriate response--especially when emotions make measured response difficult--is common to all social interaction, Bollinger points out, and there are useful lesons to be learned from withholding punishment even for what is conceded to be bad behavior. About the Author: Lee C. Bollinger is Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School. |
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Página 8
... least , is a guiding hypothesis of this essay about the modern significance of the free speech principle . The thesis offered here is that free speech has , indeed , developed new meaning over the course of the last several decades , a ...
... least , is a guiding hypothesis of this essay about the modern significance of the free speech principle . The thesis offered here is that free speech has , indeed , developed new meaning over the course of the last several decades , a ...
Página 106
... least for a significant segment of the popula- tion . At this point , however , we began to wonder whether this vision had erred too far in the other direction by overstating the danger of excessive intolerance for the liberty of speech ...
... least for a significant segment of the popula- tion . At this point , however , we began to wonder whether this vision had erred too far in the other direction by overstating the danger of excessive intolerance for the liberty of speech ...
Página 235
... least partly , as an insti- tutional forum in which certain issues are addressed . The pri- mary , though by no means the exclusive , speech is that given by the judges at the conclusion of the case . We compel judges to speak for many ...
... least partly , as an insti- tutional forum in which certain issues are addressed . The pri- mary , though by no means the exclusive , speech is that given by the judges at the conclusion of the case . We compel judges to speak for many ...
Contenido
Introduction | 3 |
Enslaved to Freedom? | 12 |
The Classical Model and Its Limits | 43 |
Derechos de autor | |
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The Tolerant Society Lee C. Bollinger Dean University of Michigan Law School Vista previa limitada - 1986 |
Términos y frases comunes
actually Amendment appear argument attitudes basic become behavior beliefs benefits capacity chapter citizens claim clear commitment concern considered constitutional context course Court danger decide decision defendants desire developed discussion doubt effect example excessive expression extreme fact fear feelings free speech principle freedom function give hand harm Holmes human idea important impulse individual injury intellectual interest intolerance involved issues Jews judges judgment judicial kind least less liberty limits majority matter meaning Meiklejohn mind moral nature Nazi noted offered opinion particular perhaps political position possible potential present Press problem prohibit protection provides question reason regarded regulation response result risk role rule seeking seems sense significance simply Skokie social society speak speech activity statement theory thought tolerance true truth understanding United University values York