Stephen Robertson has been a political science, pre-law and international relations lecturer at Middle Tennessee State University for over 25 years. He explores constitutional law and the First Amendment in American government and women’s and gender study courses.
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Andrea Dworkin
Andrea Dworkin, a radical feminist writer and theorist, rejected First Amendment protections for pornography, arguing that pornography encourages violence against women.
Bray v. Alexandria Women’s Health Clinic (1993)
Bray v. Alexandria Women’s Health Clinic (1993) dealt with the First Amendment right of protest and ruled that protesters’ actions were not a conspiracy against a protected class.
Catharine MacKinnon
Feminist legal scholar Catharine MacKinnon argues that pornography should be illegal as it perpetuates sexual inequality. She has faced pushback from First Amendment proponents.
New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)
New York Times Co. v. United States (1971), also called the "Pentagon Papers" case, defended the First Amendment right of free press against prior restraint by the government.
Texas Monthly, Inc. v. Bullock (1989)
Texas Monthly, Inc. v. Bullock (1989) struck down a state tax exemption used solely for religious books and periodicals. The exemption violated the First Amendment.
William Douglas
Justice William O. Douglas was one of the Court’s most controversial members as well as one of its most passionate defenders of individual freedoms and First Amendment rights.