The U.S. Supreme Court is as important as ever in the lives of Americans. Contrary to the image-enhancing claims of independence that many of its members claim, however, the Court's current supermajority has transformed it into a powerful political institution that wages ideological war meant to return the nation to a previous period, at the same time denying rights to millions. The "Stench" of Politics: Polarization and Worldview on the Supreme Court opens a window into the Supreme Court that helps us to understand the institution and its rulings. At the heart of this analysis is worldview, a phenomenon that every person, including Supreme Court justices, possesses. Whether someone's worldview is "fixed" or "fluid" affects who they are, what they believe and what they do. In addition, interpreting the Constitution as an "originalist" or "living constitutionalist" often dictates case outcomes. By applying these and other constructs to the Supreme Court, the book reveals how the once-revered institution has evolved into one whose majority not only has neglected its commitment to the inscription on its own building, "Equal Justice Under Law," but is also determined to remake both the law and the nation.

Traditionally, the university or college is thought to be the ultimate location for the discovery and sharing of knowledge. After all, on these campuses are some of the great minds across all fields, as well as students who are not only eager to learn, but who often contribute to our shared wisdom. For those ideals to be achieved, however, ideas require access to some kind of virtual marketplace from which people can sample and consider them, discuss and debate them. Restricting the expression of those ideas for whatever reason is the enemy of not only this process, but also of knowledge discovery. Speech freedom on our college and university campuses, like everywhere else, is fragile. There are those who wish to suppress it, more often than not when the words express ideas, opinions, and even facts that conflict with their beliefs. Why is this effort, so completely at odds with the foundational values of this country, made? This topic explored in Speech Freedom on Campus: Past, Present and Future is multi-layered, and its analysis is best accomplished through multiple perspectives. Joseph Russomanno's edited collection does precisely that, utilizing 10 different scholars to examine various aspects and issues related to speech freedom on campus.

Traditionally, the university or college is thought to be the ultimate location for the discovery and sharing of knowledge. After all, on these campuses are some of the great minds across all fields, as well as students who are not only eager to learn, but who often contribute to our shared wisdom. For those ideals to be achieved, however, ideas require access to some kind of virtual marketplace from which people can sample and consider them, discuss and debate them. Restricting the expression of those ideas for whatever reason is the enemy of not only this process, but also of knowledge discovery. Speech freedom on our college and university campuses, like everywhere else, is fragile. There are those who wish to suppress it, more often than not when the words express ideas, opinions, and even facts that conflict with their beliefs. Why does an effort so completely at odds with the foundational values of this country happen? This topic explored in Speech Freedom on Campus: Past, Present and Future is multi-layered, and its analysis is best accomplished through multiple perspectives. Joseph Russomanno's edited collection does precisely that, utilizing 10 different scholars to examine various aspects and issues related to speech freedom on campus.

Defending the First provides a collection of new perspectives on the First Amendment in legal and communication contexts. Editor Joseph Russomanno brings together a roster of major figures who have participated in the shaping of First Amendment law over the past 30 years. Readers are taken into a realm of personal experience and analysis through the stories of these attorneys at the forefront of the battle to defend the "First." The contributors to this volume--all of whom have argued cases before the Supreme Court--tell about their experiences appearing before the highest court in the United States. Some write many years after being there, while others offer insights from a more recent vantage point. One Supreme Court Attorney offers a historical analysis of a case replete with a variety of First Amendment issues. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of First Amendment issues and the types of expression that the First Amendment protects, and why these rights must be protected. In addition, it provides readers with the unique perspective of those who have been on the front lines of some of the most important and influential cases in this era. The challenges of presenting an argument in this venue become clear, and it is evident that understanding one's own case, its lineage, and its likely impact all become part of the formula for success. This distinctive collection provides personal and compelling insights into the making of communication law, and it will be engaging reading for students in communication law courses. It will also appeal to any reader interested in First Amendment law.

"Defending the First" provides a collection of new perspectives on the First Amendment in legal and communication contexts. Editor Joseph Russomanno brings together a roster of major figures who have participated in the shaping of First Amendment law over the past 30 years. Readers are taken into a realm of personal experience and analysis through the stories of these attorneys at the forefront of the battle to defend the "First." The contributors to this volume--all of whom have argued cases before the Supreme Court--tell about their experiences appearing before the highest court in the United States. Some write many years after being there, while others offer insights from a more recent vantage point. One Supreme Court Attorney offers a historical analysis of a case replete with a variety of First Amendment issues.
This work contributes to a deeper understanding of First Amendment issues and the types of expression that the First Amendment protects, and why these rights must be protected. In addition, it provides readers with the unique perspective of those who have been on the front lines of some of the most important and influential cases in this era. The challenges of presenting an argument in this venue become clear, and it is evident that understanding one's own case, its lineage, and its likely impact all become part of the formula for success.
This distinctive collection provides personal and compelling insights into the making of communication law, and it will be engaging reading for students in communication law courses. It will also appeal to any reader interested in First Amendment law.

Tinker. R.A.V. Ollman. Hustler-Falwell. Reno-ACLU. Nebraska Press Association. These names are synonymous with contemporary First Amendment litigation. To explore these landmark cases more deeply, author Joseph Russomanno interviewed the people at the core of these and other influential First Amendment cases, and he presents their stories here in a personal, in-depth oral history of First Amendment law. Previously unavailable in other literature, these stories go beyond the "what" of the cases and answer the "why" and "how" of ten major cases from the latter part of the 20th century. Through their own words and photographs, plaintiffs, defendants, and their attorneys describe what it was like to be involved in the development of these historic First Amendment cases.
The issues addressed in these landmark cases cover crucial aspects of the First Amendment: freedom of expression, hate speech, libel, privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, promises of confidentiality to news sources, free press-fair trial, commercial speech, broadcast and cable television regulation, and new media. These narratives recount the events that initiated the court cases and follow the lead players through the various stages of the U.S. legal system. Excerpts of the court decisions are included at the conclusion of each chapter, and sidebars explain key terms, issues, and names that come up in the process. The cases highlighted here were often difficult and controversial--cases which, on their surface, raise questions about both the participants and their lawyers. A cross burner and a pornographer ask to be protected by the First Amendment; a measure intended to protect children from exposure to lewd content on the Internet is questioned. Through the words of the participants in these cases, the meaning, depth, and reach of the First Amendment becomes clear and demonstrates how the law functions to protect the rights of all individuals.
This unique chronicle will appeal to those studying First Amendment law, including mass communication, law, journalism, and political science scholars, and to lawyers, journalists, and political scientists with an interest in this area. The volume is also intended to serve as a supplemental text in a mass communication law course or as a text in advanced First Amendment theory course and political science courses exploring the law, decisions, and processes of the U. S. Supreme Court.

Tinker. R.A.V. Ollman. Hustler-Falwell. Reno-ACLU. Nebraska Press Association. These names are synonymous with contemporary First Amendment litigation. To explore these landmark cases more deeply, author Joseph Russomanno interviewed the people at the core of these and other influential First Amendment cases, and he presents their stories here in a personal, in-depth oral history of First Amendment law. Previously unavailable in other literature, these stories go beyond the "what" of the cases and answer the "why" and "how" of ten major cases from the latter part of the 20th century. Through their own words and photographs, plaintiffs, defendants, and their attorneys describe what it was like to be involved in the development of these historic First Amendment cases.
The issues addressed in these landmark cases cover crucial aspects of the First Amendment: freedom of expression, hate speech, libel, privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, promises of confidentiality to news sources, free press-fair trial, commercial speech, broadcast and cable television regulation, and new media. These narratives recount the events that initiated the court cases and follow the lead players through the various stages of the U.S. legal system. Excerpts of the court decisions are included at the conclusion of each chapter, and sidebars explain key terms, issues, and names that come up in the process. The cases highlighted here were often difficult and controversial--cases which, on their surface, raise questions about both the participants and their lawyers. A cross burner and a pornographer ask to be protected by the First Amendment; a measure intended to protect children from exposure to lewd content on the Internet is questioned. Through the words of the participants in these cases, the meaning, depth, and reach of the First Amendment becomes clear and demonstrates how the law functions to protect the rights of all individuals.
This unique chronicle will appeal to those studying First Amendment law, including mass communication, law, journalism, and political science scholars, and to lawyers, journalists, and political scientists with an interest in this area. The volume is also intended to serve as a supplemental text in a mass communication law course or as a text in advanced First Amendment theory course and political science courses exploring the law, decisions, and processes of the U. S. Supreme Court.