Corliss Lamont: Renegade Patriot
Audio Segment 2 in RealAudio^® and MP3

Several years ago, Corliss Lamont's Grandson, Jonathan Heap, a Hollywood feature film director and television producer, shot a 16mm film about his grandfather called Corliss Lamont: Renegade Patriot. The film exists only in rough cut form, but presented below is the second of five audio segments from the sound track of the film.

The topic of discussion in this audio clip is Corliss Lamont and his run-in with Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee.

The Battle with Senator Joseph R. McCarthy.

An Interview by Jonathan Heap.
(Running Time: 1 minute 48 seconds)

JPEG image of Corliss Lamont and Jonathan Heap. JPEG image of Corliss Lamont.

Transcription of Dialogue

THE BATTLE WITH SENATOR JOSEPH R. MCCARTHY.
HEAP: So this is where McCarthy questioned you?
LAMONT: Yes, he sat up there on the Bench, and threw questions at me, which I didn't answer. I regard all your questions as unconstitutional because they violate the civil liberties of a scholar and an author, but in addition, I say that I have no need to answer your questions because your committee, itself, was never properly constituted in a legal and constitutional way by your superior committee in the U.S. Senate.
HEAP: It was hard for me to really become sort of interested and involved and I wonder how the ordinary person, who doesn't run into a First Amendment situation every day, can really concern themselves with these things.
LAMONT: Well, I'm afraid you're right that the average American citizen is not daily concerned with civil liberties in this country. But if some action, as you suggest, immediately affects them like the boycott of a film or the censorship of a book, well then, he will come forth and do his duty as a citizen in upholding the Bill of Rights.
HEAP: So you think people should speak out even at risk of perhaps being looked down upon by friends and relatives, that sort of thing?
LAMONT: They certainly should speak out, and win over their friends and relatives to a principled position in defense of the Bill of Rights and civil liberties. After all, if you are an American citizen, then it is your duty to inform yourself about the violation of these democratic procedures when freedom of speech is violated or freedom of the film or any other freedom of that kind.

Alternate file format: M3U | MP3

	Introduction
	Opening Remarks
	Senator McCarthy
NEXT	On Humanism
	Postmaster General
	Closing Remarks

This page last revised: January 6, 2012.

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Corliss Lamont: Renegade Patriot Audio Segment 2 in RealAudio® and MP3

The Battle with Senator Joseph R. McCarthy.

Corliss Lamont: Renegade Patriot
Audio Segment 2 in RealAudio^® and MP3