Alan Dershowitz has been called 'one of the most prominent and consistent defenders of civil liberties in America' by Politico and 'the nation's most peripatetic civil liberties lawyer and one of its most distinguished defenders of individual rights' by Newsweek. Yet he has come under intense criticism for his steadfast and consistent championing of those same principles, and his famed 'shoe-on-the-other-foot test,' to those who have been 'cancelled' for any number of faults, both real and imagined.
Cancel Culture is a defense of due process, free speech, and even-handedness in the application of judgment. It makes the case for restraint and care in decisions about whom and what to cancel, boycott, deplatform, and bar from public life, and offers recommendations for when, why, and to what degree these steps may be appropriate, as long as objective, fair-minded criteria can be determined and met. While Dershowitz argues against the worst excesses of cancel culture, he also acknowledges that its defenders ostensibly try to use it to create meaningful, positive change, and notes that cancelling may itself be a constitutionally protected form of free speech.
In the end, Cancel Culture represents an icon in the defense of free speech and due process reckoning with the greatest challenge and threat to these rights since the rise of McCarthyism.
Alan Dershowitz has been called 'one of the most prominent and consistent defenders of civil liberties in America' by Politico and 'the nation's most peripatetic civil liberties lawyer and one of its most distinguished defenders of individual rights' by Newsweek. He is also a fair-minded and even-handed expert on the Constitution and our civil liberties, and in this book offers his knowledge and insight to help listeners understand the war being waged against free speech by the ostensibly well-meaning forces seeking to constrain this basic right.
The Case Against the New Censorship is an analysis of every aspect of the current fight against freedom of speech, from the cancellations and deplatformings practiced by so-called progressives, to the powerful, seemingly arbitrary control exerted by Big Tech and social media companies, to the stifling of debate and controversial thinking at public and private universities. It assesses the role of the Trump presidency in energizing this backlash against basic liberties and puts it into a broader historical context as it examines how anti-Trump zealots weaponized, distorted, and weakened constitutional protections in an effort to 'get' Trump by any means.
As defender of both the righteous and the questionable, Alan Dershowitz has become perhaps the most famous and outspoken attorney in the land. Whether or not they agree with his legal tactics, most people would agree that he possesses a powerful and profound sense of justice. In this meditation on his profession, Dershowitz writes about life, law, and the opportunities that young lawyers have to do good and do well at the same time.We live in an age of growing dissatisfaction with law as a career, which ironically comes at a time of unprecedented wealth for many lawyers. Dershowitz addresses this paradox, as well as the uncomfortable reality of working hard for clients who are often without many redeeming qualities. He writes about the lure of money, fame, and power, as well as about the seduction of success. In the process, he conveys some of the 'tricks of the trade' that have helped him win cases and become successful at the art and practice of 'lawyering.'
This program includes an introduction read by the author.
World-renowned lawyer Alan Dershowitz recounts stories from his many years of defending the state of Israel.
Alan Dershowitz has spent years advocating for his 'most challenging client'-the state of Israel-both publicly and in private meetings with high level international figures, including every US president and Israeli leader of the past 40 years. Replete with personal insights and unreported details, Defending Israel offers a comprehensive history of modern Israel from the perspective of one of the country's most important supporters. Listeners are given a rare front row seat to the high profile controversies and debates that Dershowitz was involved in over the years, even as the political tides shifted and the liberal community became increasingly critical of Israeli policies.
Beyond documenting America's changing attitude toward the country, Defending Israel serves as an updated defense of the Jewish homeland on numerous points-though it also includes Dershowitz's criticisms of Israeli decisions and policies that he believes to be unwise. At a time when Jewish Americans as a whole are increasingly uncertain as to who supports Israel and who doesn't, there is no better audiobook to turn to for answers-and a pragmatic look toward the future.
In our current age of hyper-partisan politics, nearly everyone takes sides. This is especially true with regard to the Trump presidency, which did not cause this profound division but has drawn it to the surface, making it the dominant paradigm of political debate. Both sides scream lock 'em up, criminalizing political difference instead of making substantive criticisms of opposing views. This deeply undemocratic fallacy-that political sins must be investigated and prosecuted as criminal-is an exceedingly dangerous trend. The underlying problem, Alan Dershowitz argues, is that we have weakened our national commitment to civil liberties. The vibrant center is weakening, with traditional liberalism and conservatism becoming further apart-not just in approach but also in their respect for Constitutional norms. And unless we as a nation begin to focus again on what unites us rather than on what divides us, America might not survive the next decade.
Widely respected as a civil libertarian, legal educator, and defense attorney extraordinaire, Alan M. Dershowitz has also been a passionate though not uncritical supporter of Israel. In this book, he presents an ardent defense of Israel's rights, supported by indisputable evidence. Dershowitz takes a close look at what Israel's accusers and detractors are saying about this war-torn country. He accuses those who attack Israel of international bigotry and backs up his argument with hard facts.
One of the worlds best-known attorneys gives us a no-holds-barred history of Jewish lawyers: from the biblical Abraham, who argued with God on behalf of the doomed sinners of Sodom, through modern-day advocates who have changed the world by challenging the status quo, defending the unpopular, contributing to the rule of law, and following the biblical command to pursue justice. Entertaining and aggressive which is what you'd expect from this author this book should appeal to anyone interested in justice.
The courtroom trial has fascinated human beings from the beginning of recorded history. Trials are theater, trials are history, and the great trials of the twentieth century and beyond provide a unique window into American history and the sense of America's enduring commitment to law. It was Alexis de Tocqueville who, when he visited the new republic for the first time, said that America was a unique country when it comes to law. Every great issue eventually comes before the courts. With this in mind, esteemed professor and civil liberties lawyer Alan Dershowitz looks at history through the prism of the trial, because a trial presents a snapshot of what's going on in a particular point in time of the nation's history. What's a great trial? People will often say the trial of the moment. But those trials are often not enduring. The focus of this course is on landmark trials and the important, dramatic aspects of the history of the time in which they occurred.
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New York Times best-selling author Alan Dershowitz presents a persuasive roadmap for achieving a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine. As he did in his widely acclaimed work The Case for Israel, the renowned defender of civil liberties offers compelling'and sometimes controversial'solutions for ending this bloody, divisive conflict.
Dershowitz maintains that, following the death of Yassar Arafat and the democratic election of Mahmoud Abbas, the time is ripe to let go of old assumptions and embrace new solutions. The challenge, too, is not only to achieve peace, but to do it without further loss of life in the region.
The answer, Dershowitz maintains, lies in a two-state solution, with Israel recognizing the rights of Palestinian refugees and Palestine making a concentrated effort to stamp out terrorism. Both sides must take bold steps toward peace'steps that ensure a continuing security in the region.
With unflinching candor and rigorous logic, Dershowitz targets the opponents of Israel, including the United Nations, the media, and American academics who insist on a one-state solution. But he also attacks Israeli and Pelestinian extremists who oppose peace.
By plotting out a realistic course of action, The Case for Peace demands the attention of anyone interested in the future of global politics.
Alan Dershowitz, one of the foremost legal thinkers of our time, explores a series of questions raised by the most-watched criminal trial in American history. Through this brilliant, eye-opening account of the O.J. Simpson case, he exposes the realities of the criminal justice system of this country. Here, Professor Dershowitz examines the issues and social forces -- media, money, gender, and race -- that shape the criminal justice system in America today. Among the fascinating questions raised: Was this really a case of circumstantial evidence? Did Simpson's wealth "buy" the acquittal? How could one of the longest trials in the history of America's judicial system produce a verdict after less than four hours of jury deliberation? Reasonable Doubts is a work of lasting importance; it will force us to rethink our assumptions, not only about the case itself but about the strengths -- and weaknesses -- of the criminal justice system in America today. This book is for the many thoughtful observers who sincerely and understandably believe that O.J. Simpson murdered Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman, and that the jury's verdict of Not Guilty was therefore a miscarriage of justice...
