Julian Bond, Dissent, The Supreme Court , and the 1st. Amendment

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

I found this looking for something else. I thought it was timely and an interesting read.


http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-908

In 1965 Bond officially entered the political arena. The veteran civil rights activist won a seat in the Georgia legislature,
but his outspoken objection to the Vietnam War (1964-73) prompted the legislature to deny Bond his seat. Three times Bond's district elected him as their representative only to have the legislature ignore their wishes. Finally, in December 1966, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the actions of the Georgia house were unconstitutional. Bond was sworn in on January 9, 1967, and served until 1974, when he was elected to the Georgia senate.


http://laws.findlaw.com/us/385/116.html

U.S. Supreme Court
BOND v. FLOYD, 385 U.S. 116 (1966)
385 U.S. 116
BOND ET AL. v. FLOYD ET AL.
APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN
DISTRICT OF GEORGIA. No. 87.
Argued November 10, 1966.
Decided December 5, 1966


Several months after the election in June 1965 to the Georgia House of Representatives of appellant Bond, a Negro, a civil rights organization of which he was a staff member issued an anti-war statement against the Government's Vietnam policy and the operation of the Selective Service laws. Bond endorsed the statement in a news interview stating among other things that as "a second class citizen" he was not required to support the war, as a pacifist he was opposed to all war, and he saw nothing inconsistent with his statement and his taking the oath of office. House members in petitions challenged Bond's right to be seated, charging that his statements aided our enemies, violated the Selective Service laws, discredited the House, and were inconsistent with the legislator's mandatory oath to support the Constitution.

The District Courts decision was reversed. The entire decision can be read at the link.

[pocoloco]

1. Back then I really believed that he would one day

have a shot at being our first Black President.

He was that impressive, to me anyway.

[murielm99]

3. I thought so, too.

I still admire him greatly. He does work that I respect, for the Southern Poverty Law Center.

[DaveinMD]

4. John Lewis

beat him in a race for Congress. They are both heroes.

[DaveinMD]

2. He was my professor at AU

Learned a lot from him. Good man and great teacher.