Stephen Rohde is a writer, lecturer, and political activist. For almost 50 years, he practiced civil rights, civil liberties, and intellectual property law. He is a past chair of the ACLU Foundation of Southern California and past National Chair of Bend the Arc, a Jewish Partnership for Justice. He is a founder and current chair of Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace, member of the Board of Directors of Death Penalty Focus, and a member of the Black Jewish Justice Alliance. Rohde is the author of American Words of Freedom and Freedom of Assembly (part of the American Rights series), and numerous articles and book reviews on civil liberties and constitutional history for Los Angeles Review of Books, American Prospect, Los Angeles Times, Ms. Magazine, Los Angeles Lawyer, Truth Out, LA Progressive, Variety, and other publications. He is also co-author of Foundations of Freedom, published by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Rohde received Bend the Arc’s “Pursuit of Justice” Award, and his work has been recognized by the ACLU and American Bar Association. Rohde received his BA degree in political science from Northwestern University and his JD degree from Columbia Law School.
Stephen Rohde
Articles
A Constitution, If You Can Keep It
Stephen Rohde looks at Ellis Cose’s “Democracy, If We Can Keep It: The ACLU’s 100-Year Fight for Rights in America.”
Have We Weaponized Virtue?
Stephen Rohde considers "The Tyranny of Virtue," a new book by Robert Boyers.
Will Los Angeles County Become Part of a National Movement to Elect Progressive Reformers for District Attorney?
Stephen Rohde talks about the Los Angeles District Attorney race coming in November 2020 and his activism on behalf of death penalty opponent George Gascon.
A Failed Case Against Free Speech
Stephen Rohde objects to “The Case Against Free Speech” by P. E. Moskowitz.
A Century of Fighting for Civil Liberties
Stephen Rohde reviews "Fight of the Century: Writers Reflect on 100 Years of Landmark ACLU Cases."
One Nation, Not Under God
Stephen Rohde reviews "The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is Un-American" by Andrew L. Seidel.
A Prosecutor’s Guide to the Just and Fair: On Preet Bharara’s “Doing Justice”
Stephen Rohde offers his take on Preet Bharara's book, "Doing Justice: A Prosecutor’s Thoughts on Crime, Punishment, and the Rule of Law."
Echoes of Fascism
Stephen Rohde reviews Henry A. Giroux's new book, "The Terror of the Unforeseen."
Witness for The Prosecution
Stephen Rohde looks at what was asked and what could have been asked at Special Counsel Robert Mueller's July 24, 2019 testimony to Congress.
Freedom of the Press Under Attack
Stephen Rohde looks at three new reports that detail assaults to freedom of the press and freedom of speech over the past year.
The Mueller Report: “Oh My God. This Is Terrible. This Is the End of My Presidency. I’m Fucked.”
Stephen Rohde reads the Mueller Report and looks at past impeachment proceedings to determine where we go from here.
The Hundred Years’ War Over Free Speech
"The Free Speech Century" is a rich buffet of intellectual delicacies, which need not be gorged in one sitting but can be enjoyably sampled at leisure.
A Justice for All Seasons
Stephen Rohde delivers a speech on the judicial legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“A Republic or a Monarchy?” A Citizen’s Guide to Impeachment
Should Donald Trump be impeached? Stephen Rohde reads Cass Sunstein to find out.
Hate Speech: An Imaginary Debate
Stephen Rohde offers an imaginary debate between Nadine Strossen and Richard Delgado.
Higher Loyalty? James Comey and the Failure of Leadership
Unintentionally, "A Higher Loyalty" teaches us more about “ethical leadership” by showing not what Comey has done in his career but what he has failed to do.
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