Author Lewis Defends ACLU at Law School

Syndicated New York Times columnist Anthony Lewis '48 took time out last night to defend the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) from recent campaign attacks before a Law School audience.

Denying campaign allegations against the organization made by members of the campaign to elect Vice President George Bush as president, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is "a respectable, mainstream organization," Lewis said last night.

Introducing the film based on his 1964 novel "Gideon's Trumpet," Lewis told 50 Law School students that the ACLU is necessary organization which fights for and protects people's basic civil liberties. "Gideon's Trumpet" details the U.S. Supreme Court case of Gideon vs. Wainwright, which extended the right of legal representation to defendants who could not afford it.

Gov. Michael S. Dukakis has been criticized by his opponents as leaning too far to the left because he supports the ACLU. Lewis said he was disturbed because "one candidate [Vice President George Bush] is casting aspersions on human rights in this country."

The event was held partially to "recruit students to help on various research projects" for ACLU's Harvard chapter, said organizer Warren O. Asher, a second-year law student and member of the Harvard Law School Civil Liberties Union. Asher handed out buttons during the meeting which read, "I am a card carrying member of the ACLU."

Lewis said he was confident that the civil liberties established while Earl Warren was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court will not be rolled back. "The main lines of doctrine are not going to be changed," he said.

The columnist said current Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist reaffirmed civil rights and freedom of the press in the Hustler vs. Falwell case last year.

Students said they had not expected Lewis to be present at the screening but were pleasantly surprised.