About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

22 Harv. Blackletter L. J. 25 (2006)
Confronting Racists at the Bar: Matthew Hale, Moral Character, and Regulating the Marketplace of Ideas

handle is hein.journals/hblj22 and id is 29 raw text is: CONFRONTING RACISTS AT THE BAR: MATTHEW HALE, MORAL CHARACTER, AND REGULATING THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS Jason 0. Billy* I. INTRODUCTION In 1998, Matthew Hale graduated from Southern Illinois Law School and passed the Illinois bar examination in July of that year.1 Nevertheless, the Inquiry Panel for the Supreme Court of Illinois's Committee on Char- acter and Fitness, in a 2-1 decision, denied Hale admission to the practice of law.2 Because of his racist beliefs, the Panel found that Hale did not possess the requisite character and fitness necessary for admission.3 At the time of his application to the Illinois bar, Hale was not only a recent law school graduate, but also the Pontifex Maximus (Supreme Leader) of an organization called the World Church of the Creator. Hale's church was founded in 1973 by Ben Klassen, a Canadian-born former mem- ber of the Florida legislature. The organization admires Adolf Hitler and Germany's movement of National Socialism; however, it believes that Hitler's ideas regarding racial superiority should have been applied to include all whites, as opposed to only Germans.4 Hale and his church op- pose violence and the forcible overthrow of the American government. Nevertheless, the Inquiry Panel of the Committee on Character and Fit- ness noted, Mr. Hale stated in his interview with us that if his organiza- tion would gain power by peaceable means it would call for the deporta- tion of the Jews, blacks and others whom his church refers to as 'mud races.'- * J.D., Harvard Law School, 2005; B.A., Columbia University, 2001. I would like to thank Professor Andrew Kaufman for his insightful comments and suggestions. I would also like to thank the staff of the Harvard BlackLetter Law Journal, especially Kevin K. Anderson, for their editorial assistance. Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to my friends and family for their support and encouragement. 1. See Mark Schauerte, Illinois Seeks to Deny a Law License to Vocal Racist, ST. Louis POST- DISPATCH, Feb. 22, 1999, at Al. 2. In re Hale, COMM. OF CHARACTER & FITNESS (Ill. App. Ct. 1998), reprinted in GEOFFREY C. HAZARD ET AL., THE LAW AND ETHICS OF LAWYERING 875 (3d ed. 1999). 3. Id. at 875-76, 883-84. 4. Id. at 876. 5. Id.

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most