Politics on Trial

by Kunstler, William M.

• ISBN13: 9781876175498
• ISBN10: 1876175494
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-03-01
• Publisher: Ocean Pr

Summary

William Kunstler, the most celebrated defense lawyer of his time, reflects on five famous cases in which ordinary citizens were targeted for their political views or the color of their skin, including Sacco and Vanzetti (Italian immigrants accused of murder), and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg (communists executed for espionage). Kunstler also considers legal challenges to compulsory prayers in schools and the ban on teaching evolution. The Introduction by Michael Ratner highlights current threats to political rights. -------------- "As long as someone controls your history, the truth shall remain just a mystery."-Ben Harper Radical History is a new series from Ocean Press seeking to restore our collective memory of events, struggles and people erased from conventional (and conservative) histories and media. These mini-anthologies include eyewitness accounts and historic, forgotten or ignored documents as well as new essays, chronologies and further reading suggestions. This series is designed to appeal to a new generation of political activists.

Table of Contents

Publisher's Note	vii
William Kunstler	ix
Introduction	1	(14)
Karin Kunstler Goldman
Michael Ratner
Michael Steven Smith
Sacco & Vanzetti
Massachusetts v. Bartolomeo Vanzetti and Nicola Sacco	15	(35)
Scopes - The ``Monkey Trial''
Tennessee v. Scopes	50	(18)
The Scottsboro Nine
Alabama v. Patterson	68	(16)
The Rosenbergs
United States v. Rosenbergs and Sobell	84	(26)
Engel, Education and God
Engel v. Vitale	110	(19)
Epilog	129	(2)
Resources	131