What is your opinion of the ACLU?

[Pushed To The Left]

Poll question: What is your opinion of the ACLU?

I became a monthly donor to the ACLU in response to the election results, even though I sometimes disagree with them. I would say I strongly agree with them 90% of the time, and strongly disagree about 10% of the time. On the other hand, some people close to me were horrified at my decision, including a Kerry supporter in my family!

[JohnKleeb]

1. I mostly agree with them too

[Placebo]

2. I am a card carrying member of the ACLU.

So there ya go.

[JohnKleeb]

9. are you michael dukakis?

;)
Good on you, Ive been planning to join myself for a while now. Ive only belonged to a nat'l org once, and that was United Food and Commerical Woerkers.

[AndyTiedye]

14. Me Too.

and I'm even shorter than Michael Dukakis.

[IronLionZion]

3. agree most of the time

We are going to need someone to protect our civil liberties

[PATRICK]

4. high mindedness a trap

when arrogance seeps in to unprofessional research. They have been played like any establishment idealist. Nader has been played and is rampaging around like a loose cannon instead of using his head. pride, even in virtue(especially in virtue) goes before a fall.

When they defended Nazis the RW knew they could be played.

Their lack of research into BBV was criminally reprehensible.

Cunning and wisdom is not nose in air and without imagination and without respect for human weakness.

[PATRICK]

6. Faith in the jiduciary and law

is now broken. That was their baseline of defense. They are out in the cold with us fretting at the edges.

[dogtag]

5. We would have gone facist years ago without the ACLU.

Yes, it's frustrating sometimes when they take up a horrible cause because it falls under the protection of our constitution, but that's the point, don't forget!

[no_hypocrisy]

15. I'm in total agreement with you. The ACLU is the only organization that

is committed to protecting the Bill of Rights. Your representative and senator have a conflict of interest and therefore, cannot be relied upon even though it would seem to be implied with their oath.

The Supreme Court scrutinizes each case and will qualify and weaken the first ten Amendments to the Constitution. Besides, its job is to interpret, not advocate like the ACLU.

And a reminder: ACLU is a volunteer organization where its lawyers are free to plaintiffs.

[PATRICK]

20. They had a friendly infrastructure

You can't imagine the fear of MLK starting out on his quest with some justice hope there. The ACLU did and does a fantastic job. Which must be protected from being subverted. In the case of BBV it was a matter of not researching the whole issue and getting blindsided by being one dimensional and unconcerned about the consequences of the concrete solution- namely the blatant fakery of the touch screen voting salesmanship. A conman sees a one track mind, the jail house lawyer sees the law in a different goal oriented way. Rights defended can mean rights lost. That has to be a concern for someone or the ACLU is an incomplete tool indeed.

The KKK march was a different point of principal. The BBV blunder was just negligence in that it robbed the handicapped and everyone of their ultimate vote.
Enable right stealers to get another tool and you need something to answer(people did). Justice is a two edged sword. It can be stolen.

[Moderate Dem]

7. I was a member until this year

But I didn't renew.

[City Lights]

8. Card-carrying member.

I just gave gift memberships to my kids.

[calico1]

10. It bothers me that they defend

the likes of the KKK and the Nazis. I understand why. It just bothers me.

[skooooo]

11. umm...freedom of speech?

[calico1]

19. Ummmmm....

I said I understood why they do it. And I do. I know they have to. Doesn't mean I have to like it. That's all I'm saying. That it makes me uncomfortable. For the record, I support the work of the ACLU.

[realisticphish]

13. i understand

i am a card-carrying member, and while it troubles me, the issue is still that the constitution protects everyone, no matter how unpopular their opinion. But i still reserve the right to turn around and protest and fight the causes i just fought to be allowed to continue


:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[Moderate Dem]

17. You know the saying...

If scumbags and racists don't have freedom of speech, no one else will either.

That's one thing that I respect about the ACLU. My opinion is that they are fighting some really stupid battles that make Democrats look really bad.

And yes, I realize that's kind of my message today...

[ElkHunter]

12. I'm sorry to say that I let my ACLU membership lapse...

...but I rectified that last night when I renewed my membership online and made an extra donation as well. I may not agree with everything the ACLU does but we now need them more than ever. Besides, it's okay to dissent from the dissenters.

[GregD]

16. They did not help with the BBV issue

While trying to pass HR2239 (papertrail legislation) we spent months and months battling the disabled community (namely those at www.aapd.com), to whose side ran www.lwvus.org, www.civilrights.org, www.commoncause.org and the Southern California chapter of ACLU.

LWVUS and CC evenntually came to our side but only after a hellacious internal (and external) battle within each organization.

Had ACLU come to the fight, on the side of democracy, we would not likely be where we are today.

Even MoveOn, who sided with ACLU to fight the Patriot Act, had to stay quiet a very long time about e-voting. I know this for fact as those I worked with were involved in direct conversations with their leadership.

I resent the ACLU badly for this failure of judgement and action to defend our elections.

On edit: I said "the blind", but indeed the AAPD represent the disabled community, and that is a more accurate reflection of those who opposed us. Pity, since the Dems are more likely to support disability issues the pukes.

[gulfcoastliberal]

18. I'm cancelling my monthly donations to the DNC and redirecting them

to the ACLU. Already card-carrying, but this is an organization that is crucial to protecting the rights of all. Unlike the DNC - cowards and bumbling fucktards.