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The ACLU is A-OK with me.
But yea, it has a decidedly leftist taint to it. Which is unfortunate, but there is growing support for change within the organization. I was at their Inaugral Membership Conference this June, it was excellent. In this age of the Patriot Act and other such crap we need the ACLU more than ever.
At one of the awards banquets (I got to see Muhammed Ali get an award) I had an interesting gun rights discussion with some ACLU Board Members. One told me that she felt the ACLU's position is totally inconsistant on the 2nd Amendment. She believes, rightly I might add, that since there is such an active and powerful gun lobby already the ACLU shouldn't devote any of its resources to work on this issue. However we both think it should at least acknowledge there is a thing called the 2nd Amendment, even if they don't work on it.
While this is a promising sign, another board member at the table had a long drawn out discussion with me (and this other guy) over dinner. He was passionately anti-gun. I was not on my debating toes, cause I let him drag us through this whole long discussion on the nature of rights and their orgin and stuff. Which is irrelevant actually, he obviously supports 1st amendment "rights" so he can't attack the 2nd amendment by challenging the basis of rights.
But I digress. There is certainly a very powerful old liberal guard in the ACLU that don't want change. I was greatly encouraged by the very strong, and very large youth contigent at the conference. Many of which were embracing the hiring of Congressman Barr and other overtures to conservatives by the organization.
Not to say change is eminent. The top ACLU brass would make some interesting statements "These evil conservatives are out to imprision every one of us, and now that Republicans control all 3 branches of government they will be unstoppable in squashing our civil liberties. Only the totally, and completely non-partisan ACLU can stop these Bible thumping Republican zealots." Paraphrased of course.
Even though I don't agree with everything the ACLU does, they are an admirable organization that deserves everyone's support.
Sign up today!
But yea, it has a decidedly leftist taint to it. Which is unfortunate, but there is growing support for change within the organization. I was at their Inaugral Membership Conference this June, it was excellent. In this age of the Patriot Act and other such crap we need the ACLU more than ever.
At one of the awards banquets (I got to see Muhammed Ali get an award) I had an interesting gun rights discussion with some ACLU Board Members. One told me that she felt the ACLU's position is totally inconsistant on the 2nd Amendment. She believes, rightly I might add, that since there is such an active and powerful gun lobby already the ACLU shouldn't devote any of its resources to work on this issue. However we both think it should at least acknowledge there is a thing called the 2nd Amendment, even if they don't work on it.
While this is a promising sign, another board member at the table had a long drawn out discussion with me (and this other guy) over dinner. He was passionately anti-gun. I was not on my debating toes, cause I let him drag us through this whole long discussion on the nature of rights and their orgin and stuff. Which is irrelevant actually, he obviously supports 1st amendment "rights" so he can't attack the 2nd amendment by challenging the basis of rights.
But I digress. There is certainly a very powerful old liberal guard in the ACLU that don't want change. I was greatly encouraged by the very strong, and very large youth contigent at the conference. Many of which were embracing the hiring of Congressman Barr and other overtures to conservatives by the organization.
Not to say change is eminent. The top ACLU brass would make some interesting statements "These evil conservatives are out to imprision every one of us, and now that Republicans control all 3 branches of government they will be unstoppable in squashing our civil liberties. Only the totally, and completely non-partisan ACLU can stop these Bible thumping Republican zealots." Paraphrased of course.
Even though I don't agree with everything the ACLU does, they are an admirable organization that deserves everyone's support.
Sign up today!
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