This has been quite a week for free speech in Maine. At the beginning of the week, the Portland Press Herald reported calls to the principal at King Middle School, where a political party's convention was held last week. Apparently some people expressed concern over the box of ACLU Constitutions in the classroom, calling them "anti-American."
Obviously I have to pause and point out the irony. A copy of the US Constitution is anti-American? Well, that just doesn't make sense to me. Of the criticisms I've heard of the ACLU, being anti-American is one I've never understood. We work to ensure civil liberties for all people, using the Constitution as our guide. Anti-American and defense of the Constitution just don't go together.
In other free speech news, the Falmouth Town Council passed a resolution limiting speech at town council meetings. The resolution states that “name-calling and personal attacks and abusive, bullying, and threatening language…will not be tolerated at any time during Council meetings or through Council correspondence.” The ACLU of MAINE sent a letter to the Falmouth Town Council, reminding them that the First Amendment protects all speech - even the speech that hurts our feelings.
In my initial interview with the ACLU of MAINE, Executive Director Shenna Bellows asked me if there were any ACLU issue areas on which I wouldn't work. I remember saying I understood the philosophical argument to defending unpopular speech, but as a person of color, it would be challenging to defend the right to speech for white supremacists. (Why does everyone think of Skokie when they think of the ACLU?) If I were to be asked the same question today, I would respond very differently. No, there are no issues I would struggle with, and I would enthusiastically defend the free speech rights of people that may wish me harm.
At the end of the day, it bothers me that someone would call me or the organization I work for anti-American. Silencing that person is not the answer though. Silencing an individual is a threat to the First Amendment, and I rely every day on the First Amendment to protect me when I speak out. A threat to this protection just isn't worth it. So if silencing speech isn't the answer, what is? More speech of course!
So, to the people that were quoted in the Press Herald calling our constitutions anti-American, I say this: I'm glad you can speak out for what you believe, and I'm glad the amendment that protects your right to do so also protects my right to teach students about civil liberties and hand out thousands of constitutions every year to Maine students.
To support the dissemination of constitutions to Maine students, make a donation to the ACLU of MAINE or ACLU of MAINE Foundation. Constitutions are $1 each.