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America 250 Town Hall Series : What Does the First Amendment Ask of Us?
America 250 Town Hall Series : What Does the First Amendment Ask of Us?
Brooks Memorial Library, Brattleboro VT - 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

America 250 Town Hall Series:

What Does the First Amendment Ask of Us?

This Town Hall considers the intellectual and imaginative muscles necessary for holding free speech principles in a pluralist society. We’ll consider the arguments in the Brandenburg decision and then apply them to current protests. How might protecting
freedom of speech help us to disagree?

Background:  The right to protest is one of the people’s most fundamental freedoms, but what about speech that veers toward lawlessness or social disorder? During most of the 20th century, governments put speakers in jail for creating a “clear and present danger.” Under that rule, Eugene Debs went to prison for denouncing the first World War and Charlotte Whitney went to jail for belonging to the Communist Party.  As far as the government was concerned, their sentences were too dangerous to be heard in public.

In 1969, the Supreme Court changed the rule. Only words that caused “immanent lawless action” could be suppressed. In the Brandenburg decision, the ACLU successfully defended a Klansman, giving all of us greater freedom from government prosecution. The Black and Jewish advocates who came to the aid of Clarence Brandenburg were able to see the principles of free speech beyond his racist and anti-Semitic rhetoric.

Question: When does the right to protest fall outside the protections of the First Amendment?

Participants will have a chance to explore this complex issue with their neighbors and in the company of the Constitution as part of our ongoing America 250 exploration.  The event is free and open to the public.  No registration required.

America250 is a nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American in commemorating the 250th anniversary of our country. This multi-year effort, from now through July 4, 2026, is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond.

WWAC partners with America250 Vermont in creating dialogue, reflection and understanding of our past and future as US citizens and residents through our lecture series and town hall gatherings.  Building on the theme, Examining America’s Identity and Leadership in a Changing World, we work with Brooks Memorial Library and local historian Dr. Meg Mott, with support from the Vermont Humanities Council.

 

 September 25, 2024 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Russia - Ukraine War: Third Year and Counting
Russia - Ukraine War: Third Year and Counting
118 Elliot, Brattleboro VT - 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Russia – Ukraine War: Third Year & Counting

Well into the third year of fighting on the battlefields of Eastern Europe, the Ukraine/Russia war remains locked in an apparent stalemate.  Please join Bob Beck as he reviews the current state of the conflict, the likely endgame scenarios, and what it all means for the United States.
Robert Beck of Peterborough, N.H. served for 30 years overseas with the United States government in embassies in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. He writes frequently on foreign affairs for local papers, has spoken often across the region about the war in Ukraine, and teaches foreign policy classes at Keene State College’s Cheshire Academy for Lifelong Learning.

For 64 years, Windham World Affairs Council has brought the world to Windham County. We build community engagement, dialogue, and resilience by helping people understand complicated issues that manifest globally and locally. Through ongoing programs such as salons, youth and teacher support, and a monthly speaker series led by global experts, we build intergenerational and cross-cultural social connections to create a more inclusive and engaged community. As an independent, nonpartisan organization with an all-volunteer board and a growing dues-paying membership, we present all events free to the public and participate as a chapter of the national World Affairs Councils of America.

People are encouraged to join WWAC here in order  to support monthly lectures and participate in our ‘Members & Friends Salon’ for networking and off the record guest speakers. Salons typically start at 6pm after the WWAC board meeting on the fourth Wednesday of the month from 4:45 to 5:45 PM. All are welcome.

 October 30, 2024 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Civil Society and Social Control in China in the Xi Jinping Era
Civil Society and Social Control in China in the Xi Jinping Era
118 Elliot, Brattleboro VT - 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Does anything at all remain of civic action and space for civic activity in the Xi Jinping era in China? The twelve years since the Xi era began in China in 2012 have seen a steady strengthening of social control, a reduction in the role of nongovernmental organizations and civic action, and repression of activists and dissidents. At the same time, nongovernmental social service activity and private philanthropy is continuing to grow in China. Based on many years of work and research in China, this talk explores how China is approaching various forms of civic activity in the Xi era by domestic groups and by foreign organizations, and what may lie ahead for the civil society sector.

Mark Sidel is Professor of Law and Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an elected member of the American Law Institute. He serves on the boards of the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, the China Medical Board, The Rights Practice (US), and other organizations. 

He  is a longtime specialist in civil society, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropy. He has been engaged with China since first visiting in 1972, including serving on the team that established the Ford Foundation’s presence in China in the late 1980s and as a researcher and consultant. He also managed the Ford Foundation’s programs in China and served in the Ford office in India

Sidel has consulted widely with foundations, nongovernmental organizations and aid agencies on nonprofit and philanthropic activity in China, Vietnam, India and elsewhere in Asia. He has served as visiting professor of law at Harvard Law School, Melbourne Law School, Institutd’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po), and other institutions, and has published widely on civil society, philanthropy and state-society relations in China and around Asia.

Reserve your seat at Eventbrite.

This is a free public event.  There is a suggested $10, however, no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

 November 13, 2024 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm