New England Diary

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But not at their homes

From Robert Whitcomb's "Digital Diary,'' in GoLocal24.com

In my view, the Vermont Supreme Court has ruled wrongly in overturning the conviction of William Schenk on a disorderly-conduct charge for leaving Ku Klux Klan flyers at the Burlington homes of two women of color. The First Amendment does not protect such obviously threatening behavior -- at private homes -- by a man representing an organization with a violent, terrorist history. If he wants to give racist speeches and leave flyers with images of burning crosses, robed Klansmen and Confederate battle flags let him do that in a public place, not at the homes of people whose color makes them targets of physical assaults by  KKK members.

Free-speech cases can be tough.