ACLU Sees Membership Surge After 9/11

[Theophylact]

...including conservative former skeptics.

[M_Six]

"Putting your money where your mouth is means defending those whose views are counter to yours."

Hear, hear!

[Knothead]

...and the hardest thing to do...especially with the legacy of Ramona Ripston. Scheez...

But I still do applaud them. Twisted as I may think they are sometimes, we do need the ACLU.

[daveleau]

Dear God, help us all...

While I believe the idea behind the founding of the ACLU was sound, it has become one of the most anti-American, anti-capitalist and most left wing liberal of all the American institutions. All I can say is that I hope the new blood brings it back towards the middle and back to its senses, because for the last 20 years there has been little to distinguish between card carrying ACLU members and card-carrying communists (ok, well maybe Communist is too strong, but it sounds so much better than socialist, even though it is just as unnatural and contrary to American ideals).

I think we need the ACLU as much as we need UC-Berkley liberals. They are just as dangerous. We DO need a good solid liberal front to balance things out, but one that is less on the ultra-ultra-ultra (did I say Ultra?) left side. They are easily the farthest from center than any group, bar none, left or right. They back NAMBLA for goodness sake!

[MrBaseball]

Originally posted by daveleau
Dear God, help us all...

While I believe the idea behind the founding of the ACLU was sound, it has become one of the most anti-American, anti-capitalist and most left wing liberal of all the American institutions. All I can say is that I hope the new blood brings it back towards the middle and back to its senses, because for the last 20 years there has been little to distinguish between card carrying ACLU members and card-carrying communists (ok, well maybe Communist is too strong, but it sounds so much better than socialist, even though it is just as unnatural and contrary to American ideals).

I think we need the ACLU as much as we need UC-Berkley liberals. They are just as dangerous. We DO need a good solid liberal front to balance things out, but one that is less on the ultra-ultra-ultra (did I say Ultra?) left side. They are easily the farthest from center than any group, bar none, left or right. They back NAMBLA for goodness sake!

word !!!!!

[Knothead]

LOL, Dave...My feeling is, they (the ACLU) supply a needed opposition to the ultra-ultra-ultra-right...hey, Dave, is dat YOU over dere?

So that's why I like 'em. Personally, I stay towards the extreme middle and debate each item on a case-by-case basis.

...because for the last 20 years there has been little to distinguish between card carrying ACLU members and card-carrying communists...---Davelaeu

Listen up....this is a GOOD SIGN! Reason I say that is, if the forces of the left have to resort to barely defensable viewpoints, then it must mean that much is right with this country...in that the extrreme viewpoints have to get REALLY extreme in order to stay on the front page...eh?

Uh oh.. Knothead's sick! Quick call a doctor!!
He just said we need lawyers! hoboy!

[aviax]

Originally posted by daveleau
Dear God, help us all...

While I believe the idea behind the founding of the ACLU was sound, it has become one of the most anti-American, anti-capitalist and most left wing liberal of all the American institutions. All I can say is that I hope the new blood brings it back towards the middle and back to its senses, because for the last 20 years there has been little to distinguish between card carrying ACLU members and card-carrying communists (ok, well maybe Communist is too strong, but it sounds so much better than socialist, even though it is just as unnatural and contrary to American ideals).

I'm lost on a point or two here. Defending pornographers' rights to publish and sell almost anything is somehow Communist and anti-capitalist..?

Hey, these guys would be thrown into gulags in any Communist country. I mean, wouldn't they?

There defense of NAMBLA (one of the scariest organizations I've heard of in my lifetime) looks to me to be a defense of their right to talk about it, as opposed to sanctioning child pornography. While I wouldn't, can't, and don't support them, I think they're viewing it as one of those 'slippery slope' kind of situations.