Heckling as Principled Civil Disobedience
"Recent controversies regarding hecklers at law-school speaker events suggests that another time-honored American tradition has been forgotten: that of principled and non-violent civil disobedience," says Rory Little, a professor at University of California College of the Law, San Francisco.
March 13, 2023 at 08:00 PM
5 minute read
Legal EducationThese days no one needs to be reminded, regardless of their politics, that protection of First Amendment freedom of speech is a time-honored principle in the United States. But recent controversies regarding hecklers at law-school speaker events suggests that another time-honored American tradition has been forgotten: that of principled and non-violent civil disobedience. When repeatedly voiced complaints are ignored and individual rights are perceived as being trampled by "the Establishment," principled civil disobedience of generally accepted rules and regulations may be appropriate. The heckling of speakers—speakers perceived to be representative of racist or other discriminatory views—may be one such occasion.
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