Show Report From Washington By LAURENCE J. J BURTON I could hardly believe what I read recently In the Utah papers I Jerry Rubin leader and one of the Chicago Chicago Chi CM cago 7 told the Utah press corps that he Intended to bring his organization and the Black Panthers to Salt Lake City to be headquartered there thereto to Integrate the Mormon Church or destroy It to use Rubin's words Of or course what he said is absurd But Jerry Rubin is protected by the first article of the Bill of Rights Now there is no one who holds our Constitution Constitution Constitution Cons Cons- more sacred than I. I Freedom of speech guaranteed in the First Amendment is a aright aright aright right to be cherished dearly but when free speech Is no longer responsible speech and andis andis andis is used as license to disrupt it must be restrained In the same manner freedom of as assembly assembly assembly as- as must be restrained when huge emotional crowds could force entry into buildings and Inflict serious property damage damage damage dam dam- age or even take over govern govern- ments We dont don't want to dilute any of our freedoms but eternal vigilance Is the price of 01 liberty and unless people recognize that freedom can co coexist coexist coexist co- co exist only with a responsible citizenry can we continue to be one of the truly free societies left In the world But lets let's get back to Jerry Rubin Rubini Mr Rubin is one of those who In the trial of the Chicago 7 found himself himsel charged in contempt of court for licentious use of speech Ie I.e. foul and obscene language and deliberate and flagrant dis disruption disruption disruption dis- dis of the courtroom Rubin four lour of his fellow defendants and the defendants defendants' two lawyers were given im continuously posed contempt sentences for Judge Hoffmans Hoffman's list of separate counts of contempt of court sentences total totaling Ing fifteen years and 25 days Mr Rubin was also one of the five de defendants defendants defendants de- de found by the jury to have Individually crossed state lines to foment violence In the Chicago streets The much more Important charge of ot a group conspiracy to cross state lines to Incite riots during the 1968 Democratic National Convention Convention Convention Con Con- was thrown out by the jury Perhaps we should take a closer look at what happened In Chicago during the four-and- four half a months of the trial of ot this group charged under what Is known as the Rap Brown Brownlaw Brownlaw Brownlaw law which makes it a crime simply to cross a state line Une with riotous Intent The law lawIs lawis lawis Is known thus because it was passed as a rider to the Civil Rights Act of 1968 to prevent prevent prevent pre pre- vent the sort of ot outside agitation agi agitation agitation agi- agi tation of which leader H H. H Rap Brown was accused after alter the Cambridge Maryland riots of ot 1967 Originally this trial Involved the Chicago 8 but defendant Bobby Seale was split off from the group by Judge Hoffman because of or the outrages he committed In the courtroom sentenced to four years for contempt of court and ordered to have a separate trial on the riot anti-riot law The trial then continued and be became became became be- be came known as the trial of the Chicago 7 We all remember the shockIng shocking shocking shock shock- ing violence which took place at the Democratic Convention In Chicago a new experience for us in America Across the country opinions were divided as to who should bear the primary primary primary mary burden of responsibility the police or the demonstrators As the trial began we could couldwell couldwell couldwell well anticipate an emotion emotion- packed proceeding We were not disappointed The trial became what many have called a circus The defendants came Into Judge Ju Julius Julius Ju- Ju lius Hus Hoffmans Hoffman's courtroom convinced convinced convinced con con- vinced that a court representing represent represent- ing a system which they professed professed professed pro pro- to despise could not treat them fairly and they therefore therefore therefore there there- fore owed It no respect They mocked the entire judicial pro pro- Judge Hoffman HoHman was called many names ranging from unflattering to obscene Although the Judge warned over and over again that outbursts such as those staged by the defendants would not be tolerated tolerated tolerated toler toler- the abuse continued Finally on Sunday February 15 the defendants and their lawyers were individually cited cHed for contempt and jailed The stiffest sentence four years and 13 days was given to William William Wil Wil- liam M M. M Kunstler chief de defense defense de- de lense attorney Defendant Lee Weiner Welner one of the two acquitted acquit acquit- ted by the Jury of all counts received a contempt sentence of two months and 18 days The defendants were jailed Immediately Bond was refused because Judge Hoffman ruled From the evidence In this case from their conduct in inthis this trial I conclude that these are dangerous men to be at large The Judge however stayed the sentences of the two layers I until May 4 giving them time timeto to appeal their clients clients' cases 1 Many constitutional questions are Involved In these cases but many of us believe we I Ithe have come to a point where the rights of society at large I j that Is the common good outweigh other considerations The last chapter of the Chicago trial has not been written writ writ- j ten nor will It be for lor some sometime sometime time Ume to come However it is worth comment that Rennie Davis one of the Chicago 7 shouted to the Judge as he left the courtroom for jail jaU Our bur will be jury In Inthe inthe inthe the streets tonight And inthe In inthe the streets of Chicago Washington Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington and other cities clUes across I Ithe the nation demonstrators did didin didin didin in fact clash with police So we are left to ponder when does freedom of 01 speech become freedom to create anarchy an anarchy anarchy an- an archy and thus become treasonous treason treason- ous Increasingly we must ask ourselves where shall we draw the line between the right to Institute legitimate reform of ot the so-called so establishment and the freedom to speak and assemble which If improperly used could Incite revolutionary takeover of ot our Institutions These are the difficult questions that will require cool heads and prudent answers in the months to come |