Terrie Albano

Terrie Albano, a member of the national board of the Communist Party, argues in the following viewpoint that the speech of racist hate groups creates an “atmosphere of fear” that stifles free expression. Therefore, he maintains, banning hate speech and the groups that promulgate it would protect the free speech rights of the majority of Americans.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to the author, when were Communists denied their freedom of speech?
2. Which groups does Albano maintain have the right to free speech and which groups do not?
3. How is the class divide over the right to freedom of speech visible, in Albano’s view?

Communists are in a unique position to discuss free speech and hate groups. Our unique position comes from our militant history of being...