John and Mary Beth Tinker—teenagers in Iowa during the mid-1960s—wore black armbands to school one day as a symbolic protest against the Vietnam War. They were both suspended and later sued the Des Moines school district for violating their Fir

Middle Finger To God

1 2 Nov 13th, 2019 36m 56s

When Albert Snyder arrived for the funeral service of his son Matthew, a young Marine who died in the Iraq War, he was surprised by the noise and chaos that greeted him. Seven members of the Westboro Baptist Church—which believes that U.S. mili

Terry Abrahamson’s Dirty Joke

1 Nov 6th, 2019 39m 12s

When asked to pen some biting humor for the pages of Hustler back in 1983, writer Terry Abrahamson took aim at evangelical Christian preacher Jerry Falwell. The result was a vulgar parody of a real Campari ad—though instead of celebrities coyly

Live Free…or Try

1 Oct 23rd, 2019 36m 13s

Unprecedented begins with the story of a man who, nearly a half-century ago, committed a minor act of civil disobedience when he covered up the state motto on his license plate. Meet George Maynard, who battled New Hampshire over a slogan—Live

Bodily Harm Is Coming

1 Dec 11th, 2019 38m 41s

To a Klu Klux Klan member, a flaming cross is a "beautiful" symbol of "racial purity." To many Americans, it's the image of racist intimidation. But, what is it to the Supreme Court, and is it protected by the Constitution? In the emotionally-c

“Not Alone In My Own Body”

1 Oct 30th, 2019 41m 34s

Emily Heiden was pregnant, panicked, and searching for advice. She found a clinic on the internet that promised medical guidance "without politics or hype," yet what she encountered was not what she expected. California lawmakers, concerned abo

A Thousand Ways to Kill You

Dec 18th, 2019 44m 31s

Anthony Elonis wrote a series of Facebook posts describing gory fantasies of revenge, often in the form of rap lyrics, against his estranged wife and others. He was later convicted of violating a federal law that prohibits such threats and was

Drugs for a Deity

Dec 4th, 2019 28m

Joe Frederick knew that students have some free speech rights, but he wanted to find out just how far those rights go. So when his high school class headed outside to watch the Olympic torch pass through their Alaska neighborhood in January 200