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Gulf High's young philosophers Skype with ACLU president

 
Susan N. Herman, president of the American Civil Liberties Union, recently addressed members of the Gulf High Society of Young Philosophers.
Susan N. Herman, president of the American Civil Liberties Union, recently addressed members of the Gulf High Society of Young Philosophers.
Published Sept. 24, 2014

NEW PORT RICHEY — As president of the American Civil Liberties Union and a Centennial Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School, Susan N. Herman has discussed constitutional law issues with national media including NPR, PBS, C-SPAN, Newsday and the New York Times. Recently, she addressed the Gulf High School Society of Young Philosophers via Skype.

"The presentation came about at the impetus of students," said club president Tristan Bavol, 17. "I emailed Ms. Herman over the summer, and she thought it would be a cool idea."

Herman, who has served as ACLU president since 2008, told the nearly 40 students in attendance that it was during her own school days that she first developed an interest in the civil liberties of American citizens.

"At my school library they had a girls and boys section," she said. "I wasn't allowed to take a book out of the boys' section. I decided that you couldn't tell me what to read — and here began my interest in civil liberties."

She talked about the history and purpose of the ACLU, a 94-year-old organization started after World War I; a time during which political protestors and dissenters were arrested for expressing their viewpoints.

"We need to protect the right of the individual to disagree with the government," she said. "Now we cover 16 different areas … We follow the Golden Rule, to treat other people the way we want to be treated."

Students questioned Herman about some popular current issues, including voting rights, social justice, as well as topics related to gender, race and sexual orientation.

"How do you think the Patriot Act has affected civil liberties?" asked Young Philosophers member Michael Jarvis.

"Its provisions are vague," Herman said. "It inverts the constitutional concept that people should have privacy, and the government should be opaque."

Young Philosopher MacKenzie Marques questioned the willingness of the ACLU to protect the free speech rights of organizations such as Westboro Baptist Church, which has been known to picket funerals of military service members in protest of gay rights.

"We defend the right of people who say things we disagree with," Herman replied.

"How do you feel about single-gender classes?" Young Philosopher Angela Gabay asked.

"It feeds discrimination, just as single-race classrooms used to," Herman said. "It isn't what we're about as a democracy."

Herman also addressed Internet neutrality, gay marriage, student rights and other timely issues, asking students to chime in with their opinions. This spirit of open discussion, Bavol said, is very much in line with the goals and mission of the Young Philosophers.

"We're open to anyone who wants to talk," he said. "We discuss government issues, corruption and efficiency. We discuss things Socratically, and there's no right or wrong answer. We see where the discussion leads."

And when the club welcomes special guests, such as Herman and philosopher and activist Noam Chomsky, who addressed the group via Skype last year, club members say they get another opportunity to share their ideas and learn new ones.

"The fact that these people want to speak to us as students makes a huge difference," said Aakash Panjabi, vice president of the GHS Society of Young Philosophers. "They inspire us."

And in the eyes of De Etta S. Winslow, faculty sponsor of the club, the Young Philosophers are pretty inspiring in their own right.

"These students are exemplary," she said. "They'll go far."