The Soul of the First Amendment: Why Freedom of Speech Matters

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Synopsis
The nation&’s most celebrated First Amendment lawyer&“explores the American right to free speech in this thoughtful and concise volume&” (Publishers Weekly). The right of Americans to voice their beliefs without government approval or oversight is protected under what may well be the most honored and least understood addendum to the US Constitution—the First Amendment. Floyd Abrams, a noted lawyer and award-winning legal scholar specializing in First Amendment issues, examines the degree to which American law protects free speech more often, more intensely, and more controversially than is the case anywhere else in the world, including democratic nations such as Canada and England. In this lively, powerful, and provocative work, the author addresses legal issues from the adoption of the Bill of Rights through recent cases such as Citizens United. He also examines the repeated conflicts between claims of free speech and those of national security occasioned by the publication of classified material such as was contained in the Pentagon Papers and was made public by WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden. &“Abrams&’s engaging and plain-spoken reflections will be of interest to those already steeped in constitutional law as well as young readers curious about the nation&’s founding ideals . . . For Abrams, one inescapable truth applies across the history of First Amendment disputes. To allow the government to determine whose speech can be regulated . . . is, as [his] fascinating history shows, literally to play with fire.&”—The Wall Street Journal &“He dives into historic and contemporary controversies that test our adherence to these principles, noting, &‘Speech is sometimes ugly, outrageous, even dangerous.&’&”—The Washington Post
Copyright:
2017

Book Details

Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
Book Size:
176 Pages
ISBN-13:
9780300227529
Related ISBNs:
9780300190885
Publisher:
Yale University Press
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Floyd Abrams
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
Nonfiction, Law, Legal Issues and Ethics, Politics and Government
Submitted By:
Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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