War's impact on free speech and free press rights
Larry Frankel, Pennsylvania's ACLU director writes about recent infringement of civil rights in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
For 215 years, the Bill of Rights has served us well by promoting the
fundamental legal protections that should be present in any democracy.
Among the most important rights set forth are those contained in the First
Amendment. The rights of free speech and a free press are crucial to the healthy
exchange of ideas and opinions. These freedoms are essential to an informed
electorate and meaningful public participation in policy making.
Unfortunately, the United States is now in the middle of a war. History
teaches us that in times of armed conflict, the right to free speech and a free
press are sorely tested. Too often, government officials have invoked national
security as a rationalization for their disregard for First Amendment
principles.