I can’t help but laugh at this New Yorker magazine interview with the lawyer Alan Dershowitz, in which he complains about being “cancelled” as a speaker at events on Martha’s Vineyard. I’m amused for two reasons, one, this is old news. Dershowitz has been a persona non grata on the island for at least two years, ever since he defended Donald Trump during his impeachment proceedings in early 2020. And two, Dershowitz makes a big case in the interview of saying he was one of the most popular speakers on the Vineyard, which is simply not true. I am lucky enough to spent time on the Vineyard every summer, and trust me, Dershowitz was not a sought-after speaker at any venue. Contrary to what he claims in the New Yorker interview, no one has called the library to complain that Dershowitz was not invited to speak there this year, according to the director of the Chilmark Library.
What is true is that Alan Dershowitz has been roundly disliked in many circles for years, starting with his defense of O.J. Simpson back in the 1990s. As you may recall, Simpson was acquitted of killing his wife and another man, despite some pretty solid evidence linking him to the murders. Many observers considered his acquittal a travesty of justice that was only possible because O.J. was rich and able to hire the best legal counsel possible. Even before that, Dershowitz had a reputation for defending scoundrels (Claus Von Bulow, a Danish-born lawyer who was also acquitted of murdering his wife, comes to mind. Sunny was left in a permanent vegetative state for the rest of her life after an alleged insulin overdose; she died in 2008 and Claus died in 2019). So it was certainly no surprise to me and many others when Dershowitz joined Trump’s impeachment defense team; the Harvard Law school professor emeritus likes the limelight and enjoys provoking people by jumping to the defense of the indefensible. (During Trump’s impeachment trial in 2020, Dershowitz argued that the former president had not committed “a constitutionally impeachable offense,” which in light of the evidence pouring out of the Jan. 6 hearings about how Trump incited and encouraged the violent assault on the Capitol that day, seems more and more debatable).
What does baffle me is why Dershowitz should be surprised when his actions offend others and they respond in kind. After all, Chilmark Library and the other venues on Martha’s Vineyard who were disinclined to invite Dershowitz back for speaking engagements are nonprofit entities run by volunteer boards. If their audiences don’t want to hear from him, that’s their call, not his. And if Larry David decides not to talk to Dershowitz any more, as the lawyer claims in his New Yorker interview, that’s his business. Actions have consequences, Mr. Dershowitz, and while that truism may not be in any law book you’ve taught, it’s the way a democratic society works. So stop whining.
This blog is also posted on medium.com.
