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Poster for Skokie

Skokie

1981 · Film · 125 min

Directed by Herbert Wise

DramaHistoryTV Movie

A dramatization of the controversial trial concerning the right for Neo-Nazis to march in the predominantly Jewish community of Skokie, Illinois.

1 positivefrom 1 commenter

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1 comment on Hacker News

  1. PositiveMeekroOct 30, 2021

    Since several people are asking why the ACLU isn't what it once was, let me answer that.

    In 1978, the ACLU successfully defended the right of neo-Nazis to march in the predominantly Jewish town of Skokie, Illinois. This action reflected their commitment to free speech, regardless of how offensive the speech might be. The movie "Skokie" and documentary "Mighty Ira" are based on this event-- I highly recommend them because this is an important piece of U.S. history.

    In contrast, the modern ACLU has backed away from this stance. A leaked ACLU memo[1] says that before they take a free speech case, they will consider the "context of the proposed speech; the potential effect on marginalized communities; the extent to which the speech may assist in advancing the goals of white supremacists or others whose views are contrary to our values; and the structural and power inequalities in the community in which the speech will occur."

    [1] https://reason.com/2018/06/21/aclu-leaked-memo-free-speech/