Charlottesville and Beyond

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The Incident And Its Aftermath

Click here to familiarize yourself with this event through the Free Speech Tracker

Points of View

Does this interview elucidate the threat of white supremacy or does it elevate the movement’s ideology?

Since Charlottesville

Since Charlottesville, the country has continued to confront crises related to tense race relations, police brutality, and systemic racism. Familiarize yourself with some of these incidents via the Tracker:

Discussion Questions

  1. Should white nationalists and other hate groups be permitted to stage rallies in public spaces, or should “hate speech” of this type be in a special category? 
  2. When Twitter users “out” white nationalists to their schools and employers, are they contributing to a more polarized society or merely showing that speech has consequences?
  3. By tolerating those who are intolerant, does the First Amendment shape a society that is more or less tolerant?
  4. Based on the A.C.L.U. articles above, discuss the criticism the organization faced, the adjustments it announced and the organization’s history of representing hateful groups, including American Nazis.
  5. Should those who defend Free Speech continue to represent Nazis and other hate groups? 

Activity

Click on these themes below:

Choose two or three from the following list to filter in the tracker:

  • Hate Speech
  • Identity
  • National Security
  • Press
  • Protest Politics
  • Social Media
  • Violence / Threats

 

Discuss: Which stories does your combination of filters call forth?  What patterns emerge?

Themes

Categories

Type

Tracker Entries