How do you feel about the ACLU?

Honeykiss1974 · #1 08-28-2003, 04:51 PM

At one point or another, each of us have probably agreed with a stance/lawsuit that the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union). But in general, what is your opinion regarding the purpose of the ACLU? Do they affect our society (or your life) for the better or for the worse?

Here is their website for those who may need further reference.
www.aclu.org

ETA: I feel like I am speaking to middle school students when I say this but, please keep the post on a mature level. I will not hesitate to delete this thread if it gets outta hand.

Optimist Prime · #2 08-28-2003, 05:23 PM

I like them. I think you need people who will challenge anything, if only to ensure that things can be challenged.

DZHBrown · #3 08-28-2003, 05:31 PM

I believe that they go a little too far at times. I don't always agree with the things that they work towards, but I'm sure they've done something I agree with. I won't go into too much details on what I disagree with to avoid being flamed or start arguments.

enlightenment06 · #4 08-28-2003, 05:33 PM

I like them

ThetaPrincess24 · #5 08-28-2003, 05:36 PM

I think that when the ACLU was first founded, that it generally did good as a watchdog type of organization to ensure things and people in general were being done fairly. However i feel like within the past ten years or so, they have really shifted---WAY TOO FAR to the left. I'm talking about really ridiculous stuff, for example taking away the Boy Scouts rights in a city in California to use a public park for recreational purposes. If i saw on the O'Reilly Factor correctly, (and the judge is a moron too that sided this) I believe it was the ACLU that brought this case to court, citing that the Boy Scouts was a religious organization, and that allowing them special privileges in the park violates civil rights., or somethign like that, i could be wrong, i often am, but back to my original point, the ACLU is getting ridiculous in the battles it chooses to fight in court. Battles mind you that tax payers are paying for......

Tom Earp · #6 08-28-2003, 05:37 PM

While the ACLU has done a lot of good, they have also done a tremendous amount of Harm!

You as a parent cannot disciplene your child, the kids call you go to jail with out a question! If there is Domestic Violence, you go to jail!

Now, I am not saying beat the S**T out of them but in an instence that I know of, actually several, the kid was told NO! He called 911, the parent went to Jail!

Thank You ACLU! Let us pull the 10 Commandments down out of the Supreme Court House of Mi. Ga. or Al sorry cannot remember!

Now this is Bull Shit! Does Our Money Say in God We Trust?

Is that next????

ACLU Cna kkiiss Mu ASS!

valkyrie · #7 08-28-2003, 08:02 PM

I don't think that I've ever disagreed with anything they've done (but I could be wrong). I would love to work for them.

Tom Earp · #8 08-28-2003, 08:13 PM

Sorry VALK.

Done fed up with their self rightous S**T

If an arid desert, I would not give the sweat off of My Scrodum.

Another useful tool that has over used their power!

bethany1982 · #9 08-28-2003, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tom Earp
Sorry VALK.

Done fed up with their self rightous S**T

If an arid desert, I would not give the sweat off of My Scrodum.

Another useful tool that has over used their power!

LOL... Tell us all how you really feel.

honeychile · #10 08-28-2003, 08:51 PM

I feel that, in their zeal to represent a minute faction, they often disregard the rights of other citizens. They have bent over backwards so far to the left, that they can't begin to see the middle, let alone the right.

I know several members. When a teacher's aide in PA was suspended for wearing a cross, they did not try to fight for her rights. The members I knew couldn't see the hypocrisy in this, either. Oh, btw, the teacher's aide won her case and is back to work - no thanks to the ACLU!

Honeykiss1974 · #11 08-28-2003, 09:39 PM

I myself am torn. They have fought some seriousl legal battles on issue that I felt very passionate about, however, they have done the same thing regarding other issues that go totally against what I stand for.

I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

Optimist Prime · #12 08-28-2003, 09:51 PM

They've not shifted way to far to the left. They do the same stuff as always, popular oppionion has simply shifted to the right.

chicagoagd · #13 08-28-2003, 09:53 PM

I would rather deal with the random bad cases that get a lot of press and keep the ACLU than to fathom a country without an organization that protects individual rights. There is no other country that protects the individual right as much as the U.S., and with the increase in terrorist violence, these individual freedoms are the first to be threatened. The ACLU is ridiculed in government as a bunch of liberals, but I believe they are the first to protect individuals when our knee-jerk reactionist government begins to take our rights away when they fear the unknown.

Rudey · #14 08-28-2003, 10:30 PM

I hear they represented the Jews in the court battle following Jesus' death.

-Rudey
--I don't care much for them.

OUlioness01 · #15 08-28-2003, 10:33 PM

i used to get all their emails about their different causes (and i might still, i'm not sure). I've done the whole letter campaign for them a couple of times, but only on issues i feel very passionate about. i like that we have an org in this country that will fight for the rights of people that have been perhaps unfairly treated. i knwo that they don't necessarily always help people, but in this case i think the good outweighs the evil.