Steven Helle

Alternate Vita

Favorite teachers: Robert Bryant (Latin and Chinese in high school), Randall Bezanson (media law in law school), David Pfotenhauer (political science; undergrad).

Favorite newspaper: Wall Street Journal

Favorite columnist: Donald Kaul (okay, since he has retired, Molly Ivins)

Favorite commercial: The movie E.T. (for Reese's Pieces)

Best book(s): The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
     "Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have had and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway." -- from A Short Rest in "The Hobbit" (Bilbo and friends at Elrond's Last Homely House).

     "A sword rang as it was drawn. 'Do what you will; but I will hinder it, if I may.'
     'Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me.'
     Then Merry heard of all sounds in that hour the strangest. It seemed that Dernhelm laughed, and the clear voice was like the ring of steel. 'But no living man am I! ...' " -- from The Battle of the Pelennor Fields, in "The Return of the King."

Past jobs: I ran a vending route, pumped gas and changed oil, was a weekend radio DJ at two different stations, photographed weddings, did publicity, and wrote articles and shot pictures for newspaper publication. They all had their merits, but I will never be able to stomach another marshmallow moon pie.

Favorite computer game: Heroes of Might and Magic

Most unbelievable feat: Riding RAGBRAI

Best restaurants: Bayern Stube in Gibson City, Nitaya Thai, Damon's, Original Pancake House

Best fast-food: Panera, Yen Ching

Best junk food: Jarling's Custard Cup, Papa Del's pizza

Favorite golf course: Railside in Gibson City

In Quetico Provincial Park --

     Favorite lake : Kahshahpiwi
     Favorite portage: You've got to be kidding

Favorite quotes:

     "Persecution for the expression of opinions seems to me perfectly logical. If you have no doubt of your premises or your power and want a certain result with all your heart you naturally express your wishes in law and sweep away all opposition. To allow opposition by speech seems to indicate that you think the speech impotent, as when a man says that he has squared the circle, or that you do not care whole-heartedly for the result, or that you doubt either your power or your premises. But when men have realized that time has upset many fighting faiths, they may come to believe even more than they believe the very foundations of their own conduct that the ultimate good desired is better reached by free trade in ideas -- that the best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market, and that truth is the only ground upon which their wishes safely can be carried out. That at any rate is the theory of our Constitution. It is an experiment, as all life is an experiment. Every year if not every day we have to wager our salvation upon some prophecy based upon imperfect knowledge...."

Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616, 630 (1919)
(Holmes, J.,dissenting)


If freedom of the press ... [or freedom of speech] perishes, it will not be by sudden death. . . . It will be a long time dying from a debilitating disease caused by a series of erosive measures, each of which, if examined singly, would have a good deal to be said for it."

Yale Broadcasting Co. v. FCC, 478 F.2d 594, 606 (D.C. Cir. 1973)
(Bazelon, J., dissenting to denial of motion for rehearing en banc)
(quoting remarks by Richard S. Salant,
to the Boston Univ. School of Public Broadcasting, Boston, Mass. April 28, 1971,
quoting in turn Lord Devlin)


If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence.

Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357, 377 (1927)
(Brandeis, J., concurring)

Things sublime: Sitting on a log in the wilderness with my daughter watching the sun set; a drive off the tee that soars straight and far toward the pin; Sue's cheesecake.

Dislikes: Pigeons, red traffic lights, diets.

Favorite bird: Robin

Favorite season: Spring