Remember the Chicago Seven? Well, they were seven men accused, under a somewhat dubious conspiracy statute, of plotting to cross state lines to disrupt the 1968 Democratic Convention. They stirred up demonstrators and helped lead street protests against the Chicago police that often turned violent. One of their leaders was Jerry Rubin, field marshal of the yippies. Remember the yippies? Well, they were the Youth International Party (YIP).
Six years ago a New York Times editorial described the trial of "the Chicago Seven" as "the shame of American justice"—and many Americans agreed. Last week Rubin, 37, now promoting his newest book,...