This cartoon by Paul Fell hangs in our office.
The case from 1986 involves the French film “Hail Mary,” which retells the Biblical story of the birth of Jesus set in contemporary times.
The film house at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln scheduled the film but it was removed from the schedule after a few complaints, including from State Senator Bernice Labedz who said the film “blasphemed the Blessed Virgin.” Labedz said that this could become a legislative matter and funding could be cut. 14 state senators sent a letter to UNL asking them to reconsider and stating that UNL would not lose any funding based on academic and artistic decisions.
The film was not returned to the schedule. In February of that year, the ACLU lawyers panel recommended a challenge be filed. It was given to Judge Warren Urbom.
Judge Urbom reflect on the case in his book, Called to Justice: The Life of a Federal Trial Judge. In the end, Urbom’s decision said that “the constitution interjects safeguards against just this type of governmental influence.”
The First Amendment has been at the heart of so much of the ACLU’s work in Nebraska over 50 years. Sometimes it protects the rights of LGBT youth to speak. Sometimes it protects the rights of inmates who want to worship. Sometimes it protects evangelicals who want to talk about their faith.
We’re glad that this particular case comes with the wonderful memento in the form of this cartoon drawing. Here’s to all the wonderful, challenging and even controversial speech brought to us by the First Amendment (and the ACLU).
2016 is the 50th anniversary of the ACLU of Nebraska. We will feature several memories from our five decades of defending freedom in the Cornhusker state here. Do you have a favorite memory? Share it with us!
