A neo-Nazi group will be allowed to participate in Delaware’s Adopt A HIghway program, but can’t use the word “Nazi” in the signs designating their segment of the roadway…
“[Their] request to have the words ‘Nazi Party’ displayed on a state sign was denied because DelDOT chose not to associate the state with the term and its generally understood philosophy of advocating the denial of civil rights,” DelDOT spokesman Geoff Sundstrom.”
Scathing Online Schoolmarm read Mr Sundstrom’s description of Nazism to a randomly encountered man on the street (Mr UD, at the breakfast table). He laughed when she read it. She read it again. He laughed again. Why, asked SOS, did he laugh?
Mr UD put down his bright red coffee cup and looked away from his New York Times.
“Well… One normally expects a stronger statement about Nazis. It’s the bureaucratic care he brings to the subject…”
November 21st, 2011 at 1:01PM
Wouldn’t want to hurt their feelings, would we?
November 21st, 2011 at 2:36PM
I’d think that if you’re running a highway system, you’d want to avoid any risk of boycott. What’s the use of a highway if people won’t use it?
November 21st, 2011 at 5:38PM
Per the 1st Amendment, state restrictions on expression have to be view-point neutral.
It is doubtful that Delaware could legally prevent this group from participating in the adopt a highway program.
The state clearly has some say over the precise wording on the sign – one presumes profanity would not be allowed either, yet public utterance of profane words is unambiguously recognized as protected speech by the courts – but cannot exclude the underlying message simply b/c it is an unpopular message.
relevant reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg_v._Ohio
http://store.westlaw.com/volokhs-first-amendment-related-statutes-problems-cases-policy-arguments-4th/171432/18197997/productdetail
@Mr. Punch,
Indeed. In the face of abhorrent views publicly espoused an appropriate and effective counter-offensive is speech in opposition to those views (e.g. a boycott).
OTOH, you don’t seriously believe a substantial number of people will stop using the highway, do you?