Defining "Extreme," "Too Conservative," and "Ultra Right-Wing"

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Judge Janice Brown on the infamous rental car discrimination case:

In America, Clarence Brandenburg can attend a Ku Klux Klan rally, stand near a large burning cross wearing a hood, and give a speech saying, "Personally, I believe the nigger should be returned to Africa, the Jew returned to Israel." In America, Nazis can march through the streets of the predominately Jewish community of Skokie, Illinois, wearing uniforms and displaying swastikas. In each instance, racist and discriminatory views are being expressed. Nevertheless, these expressions are protected by the First Amendment to the federal Constitution and by our state Constitution. We as a nation so value the free exchange of ideas that we are willing to tolerate even offensive ideas, knowing that "one man's vulgarity is another's lyric" and today's heretical idea may become tomorrow's gospel.

Sounds like a rational argument to me, despite the Left's incessant crusade to label Janice Brown "extreme" "ultra" and "too right-wing" because she believes in the First Amendment.

In the New York Times today yet another editorial calls Brown -- a black judge -- racist, and cites her nomination to the federal bench as a weakness to the deal struck by the moderates in the Senate.