Thought That We Hate

Anthony Lewis has always held his head high where it has concerned the American Judiciary – Lewis’ praise for the American judiciary is arguably sensible and thorough in its worthy aspect. Not only does he excel as a reporter and a columnist at the New York Times, but where it concerns his authorship he has been equally exceptional in his craft. In his latest book, “Freedom for the Thought That We Hate” Lewis has the same heroic view of the American Judiciary to portray and he does it with his usual flair, with his typical – subtle, but very much inherent – admiration for the Judiciary, and for everything that he stands for. Similar to his incomparable, thorough, and critical account of the 1963 Supreme Court Case, Lewis does not lag in sending
The subjects of concern are the brave judges belonging to the 20th Century who were the pillars that laid the foundation of the First Amendment that called for what has widely become lingo – freedom of speech – but which has also become largely distorted and diluted in its meaning, in its context, and in its essence. Lewis reminds us what this amendment in the Constitution truly entails – the restriction laid on the government, the banning of offensive speech on the government’s part, is the focal point of the argument that Lewis puts before his readers. His advocacy for the first amendment and his reminder comes at a likely time for reminders, when the campaigns elections are in full swing, and when the State has been suddenly taken as if by a thunderous storm of hate speech, offensive speech, and what is tantamount to straight up vulgarity. Lewis reminds his audiences and jogs our memories back to the draft in the Constitution that deal so strictly with the issue of offensive speech. A timely judgment on Lewis’ part, this kernel of concentrated thought hits the mark with acute precision and with an iron fist, and puts many a cheek to the red blush of shame, and guilt, and
Lewis does not offer us a sketch of the development of the First Amendment – having already done that in an earlier book called “Make No Law” – but what he does is to build upon the various instances revolving around the issue of free speech that has occurred in the country. Weaving through a network of polemics and controversies regarding hate speech and offensive speech, Lewis pays tribute to the judiciary of the country for standing strong against the potential destruction of the First Amendment. Lewis has once more shown his mettle and his mastery – he is truly a great thinker of his