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Judge William Downes: First Amendment Hero

Apr 30, 2010
By .
Effluvia

The FIRE has been covering the contemptible and craven behavior of the University of Wyoming, which repeatedly canceled scheduled speeches by long-time asshole terror-apologist and boogeyman-to-the-right William Ayers. FIRE cites compelling evidence that the University's excuse — which amounts to caving to a heckler's veto — is bogus, and that University officials actually acted out of hostility to Ayers and his message.

Judge William Downes of the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming ordered the University of Wyoming to reverse its decision and let Ayers speak. In doing so, he offered a pitch-perfect explanation:

"This court is of age to remember the Weather Underground. When his group was bombing the U.S. Capitol in 1971, I was serving in the uniform of my country," Downes said. "Even to this day, when I hear that name, I can scarcely swallow the bile of my contempt for it. But Mr. Ayers is a citizen of the United States who wishes to speak, and he need not offer any more justification than that."

Damn right. Let Ayers speak, and let a thousand voices call him out for the scumbag he is.

Last 5 posts by Ken

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  1. John David Galt  •  May 2, 2010 @8:51 pm

    That last sentence raises another question: What is your position if an audience pays to hear a speaker but then some of them shout down every word he says? Should the shouters go on trial for violating the rights of the speaker and the people who wanted to hear his view?

    I say yes. This has happened to me (the speaker was David Horowitz), and if I could have told who was and wasn't shouting in that packed hall I would have beat up every shouter I could reach until they hauled me away. But I couldn't tell.

  2. Ron Nelson  •  May 2, 2010 @8:52 pm

    Although I despise him, preventing Ayers from exercising his free speech rights is more despicable. Rights mean nothing if they can be taken away by popular demand. If you can't support the rights of those you dislike, you don't truly support those rights.

  3. Mike  •  May 8, 2010 @10:20 am

    This is Bullshit. Judge downs can blow sunshine up the ass of people that don't know…While Bill Ayers has a "right" to speak, needs NO justification OTHER than being a Citizen of the U.S. Let him start a Blog, Post on Facebook, Take out an Ad in the newspaper….That after all is his "right" but to content that SOMEONE ELSE namely and in this case HAS TO PAY for his "moment" is Ludicrious. FORCING a School or any other estabishment in kind to PROVIDE a PLATFORM for someone to speak is a Complete and Utter Distortion of enacting a "RIGHT"….Ayers could walk up and down the Street of Billings and exercise "his right"…Asking others to pay for it, is opression of the state trying to "hide" behind the 1rst Adm. Judge Downs can BS his pals and readers…Just not me.

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