This study investigates the psychological and social conditions that transform abstract support for civil liberties into concrete political action. Author James L. Gibson, a political scientist, utilizes the 1977-1978 Skokie, Illinois controversy as a primary case study to examine how the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) membership responded to the organization's defense of Nazi demonstrators. The work argues that the conflict provides a unique lens through which to analyze the gap between ideological commitment to free speech and the practical application of those principles when confronted with unpopular or extremist groups.

Scholars and political scientists frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the complexities of political tolerance and organizational behavior. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous examination of the tension between institutional mission and individual member values.