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The final presentation in our First Principles program series, "What Does the First Amendment Mean Today?", is an in-person* panel discussing free speech and how it relates to traditional media, social media and public discourse, examining these platforms and the power and responsibility (or lack thereof) private companies have over the exchange of information and ideas. Panelists will also explore the role of libraries and how they have been a safe haven for the First Amendment, which protects public institutions from having to compromise the ideals of free speech, thought and inquiry.
The panel will be moderated by author, journalist and lecturer Todd Brewster, with the following distinguished panel members: Akhil Amar of Yale University; Nadine
Strossen, Past President of the ACLU; Mike McIntire, New York Times journalist; Brenda McKinley, Director of the Ridgefield Library.
*You may also choose to attend the program online via Zoom. Everyone who registers below will receive the Zoom link.
What Does the First Amendment Mean Today? is co-sponsored by the Ridgefield Library, the Ridgefield Historical Society, the League of Women Voters of Ridgefield, Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center, and the Drum Hill Chapter of the DAR.
This series is funded in part by a grant from Connecticut Humanities (CTH), an independent, non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. CTH connects people to the humanities through grants, partnerships, and collaborative programs. CTH projects, administration, and program development are supported by state and federal matching funds, community foundations, and gifts from private sources. Learn more by visiting cthumanities.org.
Masks are required for all individuals aged 2 and over entering the Library who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Masks are required for all individuals aged 2 and over entering and using the Lodewick Children’s Library regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. Masks are optional for individuals entering the Library who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Masks must conform to current CDC recommendations.
