The Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University will present Wendy Kaminer discussing "Worst Instincts: Cowardice, Conformity, and the ACLU" from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, at the C. Walsh Theatre, 55 Temple St., Boston.

Kaminer, lawyer, social critic, and former American Civil Liberties Union national board member, joins Peter Kadzis, executive editor of The Boston Phoenix and political commentator on FOX25 News, in discussing the virtues of dissent and free speech, as well as the forces that pull organizations of all kinds away from these essential principles.

Kaminer argues that “suppression of dissent,” “self-censorship,” and “cult of personality” – while usually associated with corrupt dictatorships or dysfunctional corporations – threaten the effectiveness of all institutions, including civil liberties groups.

Kaminer is willing to stand up to friends and allies as she publicly seeks to protect her former organization from falling prey to these institutional ills and to warn others of these powerful pressures.

The Ford Hall Forum is the nation’s oldest free public lecture series. It promotes freedom of speech and fosters an informed and effective citizenry through events that illuminate the key issues facing our society.

The forum presents knowledgeable and thought-provoking speakers, including some of the most controversial opinion leaders of our times, in settings that facilitate frank and open debate.