To the editor: Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the regulation college at UC Berkeley, is completely appropriate (“Mahmoud Khalil’s pro-Palestinian comments are protected speech, not grounds for deportation,” op-ed, March 11). We can’t 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 variety, particularly antisemitic speech. It’s despicable, ugly and virtually any pejorative one can consider.
However we must always defend to the loss of life 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 excellent however they have been heading in the right direction, given the instances. We can’t enable this sort of government-sanctioned conduct.
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; nonetheless, President Trump’s reducing $400 million in funds to Columbia College is a wonderful deterrent to universities that don’t take antisemitism significantly. Many universities tolerated unlawful conduct and some of their presidents have been pressured to resign because of this.
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’d anticipate Chemerinsky to concentrate on the Immigration and Naturalization Act relating to actions of overseas 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 strategy 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 relating to 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 prepared to condone or assume needed 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 midst of forming a considerate response, I’d recommend studying “First They Came” within the mirror, yet one more time.
Ted Rosenblatt, Hancock Park
