Slippery Slopes
(Dee Speaking)

 
 
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The reason we are so concerned with slippery slopes in the case of speech is because many of us believe that a fundamental moral and legal right is at stake.

You also asked whether we are dwelling on the possibility of slippery slopes because African Americans are involved. I think not, and I think the history of free speech in our courts supports my view. Most of the people who have had to put up with the pain of hurtful speech have not been African Americans. Jews have had to put up with Nazis and neo-Nazis, Patriots and business people have had to put up with Communists and leftists of various hues, Catholics have had to put up with Jehovah's Witnesses, and southern white segregationists had to allow black speakers and organizers. The concern about slippery slopes has been important in all of these cases. In the case of today's speech codes, many of the people who usually express such concerns have come out in support of restrictions.


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