To the editor: Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the legislation college at UC Berkeley, is totally right (“Mahmoud Khalil’s pro-Palestinian comments are protected speech, not grounds for deportation,” op-ed, March 11). We can not selectively apply the protections of constitutionally assured free speech solely to these whose speech we like or agree with. I despise hate speech of any form, particularly antisemitic speech. It’s despicable, ugly and virtually any pejorative one can consider.
However we must always defend to the demise all individuals’s proper to talk freely, with out worry of punishment, deportation or retribution. In any other case our democracy is actually useless. The founding fathers weren’t good however they had been heading in the right direction, given the instances. We can not permit this type of government-sanctioned habits.
Diana Wolff, Rancho Palos Verdes
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To the editor: I agree with Chemerinsky that arresting former graduate scholar Mahmoud Khalil could have been an overreach; nevertheless, President Trump’s chopping $400 million in funds to Columbia College is a wonderful deterrent to universities that don’t take antisemitism significantly. Many universities tolerated unlawful habits and some of their presidents had been compelled to resign consequently.
David Waldowski, Laguna Woods
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To the editor: Chemerinsky offers an in depth evaluation of the occasions surrounding the actions of political activist Khalil as they relate to the first Modification and free speech. Given his place as dean of the UC Berkeley Regulation College, I might anticipate Chemerinsky to pay attention to the Immigration and Naturalization Act concerning actions of international nationals who, as the White House alleges in this case, help terrorist organizations, however he ignores the act in its entirety in his evaluation. Maybe he believes the act doesn’t apply on this occasion, however its omission creates a clearly biased method to the difficulty.
Scott Perley, Irvine
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To the editor: When Chemerinsky speaks, we must always all hear. Trump is harmful. He’s a menace to democracy, America and our very lifestyle. His actions concerning Khalil are blatantly unconstitutional. MAGA supporters are thrilled, I’m certain, however will they be thrilled when he comes for them? As a result of he’ll.
Scott Hughes, Westlake Village
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To the editor: For all these readers who’re nonetheless applauding the arrest and detention of Khalil, even after digesting the arguments set forth in Chemerinsky’s commentary, please contemplate the next:
What are you keen to condone or suppose essential the federal government do with all the People, notably these figuring out as Jewish, who wrote, spoke, marched and demonstrated in help of the exact same causes as these expressed by Khalil? In the middle of forming a considerate response, I might recommend studying “First They Came” within the mirror, yet another time.
Ted Rosenblatt, Hancock Park
