the robert c byrd center hosted this incident. it is one hour in 10 minutes. [applause] ralph young: thank you all for that. remembering all of that. invited to the robert c byrd center for legislative studies. the title of the talk that i dissent in the constitution. my thesis is that the united states was the project of disse nt. dissent is essential to our history. it is in our dna. it existed in us before we even became the united states. and aboutwith this 2002 when i was creating this horse at temple university for honor student called "dissent: the history of an american idea" they asked me to create an idea on a topic you read what topic interests me? i'm from the 60's. dissent. it makes it to me right away. i started to the course. teachings grew out of it. he would start meeting on fridays after class talking about the historical background of contemporary issues. at the time we started the teachings we were invading iraq. this created a a lot of consternation on the part of the students wanting to talk about it and understanding why we were doing tha

the robert c byrd center hosted this incident. it is one hour in 10 minutes. [applause] ralph young:

the robert c byrd center hosted this event. it is one hour in 10 minutes. [applause] ralph young: thank you all for that. thank you for remembering all of that.

it is a pleasure to be here and be invited to the robert c. byrd center for legislative studies. the title of the talk that i have is "dissent and the constitution." my thesis is that the united states was the product of dissent. dissent is central to our history. it is in our dna. it existed in us before we even

i also knew very well senator robert c. byrd. and there were times when i led the fight against labor law reform back in 1977, 1978, where i was hard pressed to like senator byrd, because he used every tool at his disposal, proarmd and otherwise -- procedural and otherwise to try to put that bill forward which would have changed the whole character of america for the worst. i was young, and i didn't realize how important that man really was. but as i continued to serve in the senate and saw his devotion to the senate, his devotion to the senate rules, his fairness when he dealt with both sides, i got so i really respected his understanding of the procedural rules. i venture to say that i don't know that anybody has ever had that full capacity as much as he had with the possible is exception of senator allen of alabama, who i greatly admired also. he stood right over there on that side of the floor and took on his own party time after time. the filibuster was a very important instrument at that time, and especially since senator by

it is a pleasure to be here and be invited to the robert c. byrd center for legislative studies. the title of the talk that i have is "dissent and the constitution." my thesis is that the united states was the product of dissent. dissent is central to our history. it is in our dna. it existed in us before we even became the united states. i came up with this in about 2002 when i was creating this course at temple university for honor students called "dissent: in america." of the honors program asked me to create a course on a topic. what topic interests me? i'm from the 60's. dissent. it made sense to me right away. i started teaching the course. the students got into it. teachings grew out of it. we would start meeting on fridays after class talking about the historical background of contemporary issues. at the time we started the teachings, we were invading iraq. this created a lot of consternation on the part of the students wanting to talk about it and understand why we were doing that. when i was putting together the first book, "dissent in america," i wanted the students to