Ep. 113 Charlottesville reflections with Rodney Smolla

During the summer of 2017, a fierce dispute over the removal of
Confederate monuments in Charlottesville, Va. captured national
attention. 


The events that summer led to racial animosity and heated debate
over our nation’s history and the First Amendment, and threw one
historic city into turmoil, ultimately culminating in death and
tragedy during the weekend of Aug. 11.


On today’s episode of So to Speak, we are joined by Rodney Smolla
to reflect on what happened in Charlottesville. Smolla is Dean
and Professor of Law at the Delaware Law School of Widener
University. He is also the author of a new book, “Confessions of
a Free Speech Lawyer: Charlottesville and the Politics of Hate.”


Editor’s note: This podcast was recorded on Wednesday, May 20,
prior to the protests that began last week surrounding policing
and race in America. Had these events taken place before our
recording, they almost certainly would have been addressed, as
there are many dots to connect between Charlottesville and our
current moment, especially as they relate to race, the police,
and our First Amendment rights.


Show notes:


Transcript

Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire (1942)

Doe v. McKesson (5th Circ. 2019)

Beauharnais v. Illinois (1952)

Virginia v. Black (2003)

“Student survey: Did student attitudes toward campus speech
change after Charlottesville” by Kelsey Naughton



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