Posted on 06/07/2005 9:38:01 PM PDT by CHARLITE
For years the American Civil Liberties Union has pushed its agenda in terms of what the Constitution “really says,” and what freedom “really means” through judicial extortion. In 1978, the Supreme Court exempted the ACLU from the “ambulance chasing” prohibitions that apply to nearly every other lawyer in the country. Over the years this has enabled the ACLU’s legions of pro bono attorneys to target various organizations they feel are vulnerable to their lawsuits, to dredge the ranks of the “offended” until they can find someone who will agree to let the ACLU stick their name at the top of a case, and then to attempt to force a group’s acquiesce to their demands by threatening a costly legal case they usually cannot afford.
Many who dared to stand up to the ACLU may have won the battle in the court room, but lost the war as their organizations were driven into bankruptcy under crushing legal bills.
In the last few years, however, the tide has started to turn. Alternate civil liberties groups, such as The American Center for Law and Justice, conservative radio commentators, and even some in the mainstream media, have drawn attention to the ACLU’s pattern of abuse, fanatic beliefs, and outright hypocrisy. For the first time the ACLU is faced with legitimate public outcry over its tactics and slowly those who once would quietly give up their freedoms have been instilled with the will (and pro bono legal support) to fight. In addition, despite the efforts of obstructionist liberals in Congress, the court system is being given a much needed infusion of new judges who recognize that their interpretation of the Constitution should in some fashion be similar to that of those who wrote it. The ACLU understands its days of forcing Christianity, traditional values and freedoms out of American public life are numbered.
Out of a sense of desperation and frustration toward this new threat, the ACLU has recently begun to change the target of their court cases to include the leaders of public groups and the private individuals who are leading the charge against them.
The best known case involves popular talk show host Sean Hannity. While interviewing volunteers of the Minuteman Project last April in Arizona, Hannity inadvertently crossed the US/Mexico border for a few minutes then immediately returned. It was a simple mistake and easily understood in light of the pathetic security of our borders. The ACLU, which led the good fight by trying to obstruct the Minutemen and goad them into conflicts while enabling the rampant invasion of illegals into our nation, decided this was an offense that could not be tolerated. Apparently upset at Hannity’s drawing interest to the good work of the Minutemen, Arizona State Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, under the auspices of the ACLU, demanded Hannity’s arrest.
It is quite obvious that Sinema and the ACLU were not motivated out of a sense of respect for immigration law or fairness, but out of personal hatred toward Sean Hannity. The ACLU does not like what Hannity has to say, so what better way to silence him than by having him arrested and thrown in jail? But this is a larger issue than just the ACLU trying to embarrass Hannity. It is indicative of a terrifying new trend from the ACLU by which they are attempting to hold individual citizens legally liable for doing nothing more than thinking the ACLU is wrong. With large organizations starting to resist them, the ACLU must now find a new defenseless target unable to afford to fight them: private citizens.
There are several other cases in recent weeks that nicely illustrate this trend. In Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, the ACLU has called for the arrest of school teachers and administrators because the ACLU does not feel they have adequately excised all Judeo-Christian influences or references from their classrooms and cafeterias.
In San Diego the ACLU is suing five local personalities, including Rush Limbaugh sub Roger Hedgecock, because they do not like the wording they have chosen to represent the “Arguments For” section of a local ballot initiative to save the Mt. Soledad Cross. Who cares about freedom of speech and the right to voice your political opinions, the ACLU does not agree with it so it must be Constitutional to censor it. What is next? Arresting talk show hosts?
In the Keystone School District in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, even after the school board caved-in to the demands of the Pittsburgh ACLU, the ACLU is still suing the district because it felt that some in the community still “hoped” that there would be a prayer offered at the high school graduation. Suing a school district because some people in the community, who have no connection to the actual school district, “hope” something happens? Just what does that mean? Last time I checked “hoping” was still Constitutional. This case is nothing short of the ACLU trying to punish rank and file tax payers for not falling into line with its edicts. Just what will it take for the ACLU to feel adequately comfortable with the average citizen of Clarion County’s lack of hope at ever opposing the dictates of the ACLU? Will it be the ACLU individually suing every conservative American until we finally agree to live out our lives as Godless, Socialist drones, or would it just be Brown Shirts and Thought Police?
The ACLU is out of control.
The ACLU can no longer even pretend to support freedom, the Constitution, or Bill of Rights. What once may have been an organization dedicated to high ideals has now degenerated into a literal threat to our liberty. They are going beyond just trying to prosecute every Boy Scout troop and are now moving on to either sue people just like you and me, or have us arrested and subjected to criminal prosecution.
How ironic it is that a group that thinks terrorists should not be in prison feels that those who disagree with it should. Sounds a little like the ACLU is no longer endorsing civil liberties. Yet, as long as the political prisoners are Christian or American, the ACLU is all right with it!
About the Writer: Dustin Hawkins is a freelance writer and graduate student at Florida Atlantic University. His website is: http://www.dustinmhawkins.com/.
Dustin receives e-mail at dustinmhawkins@yahoo.com.
"I just want to throw up. What has happened to the ACLU?"
Nothing has happened to the ACLU. They have been a constant.
"I am for socialism, disarmament, and ultimately for abolishing the State itself as an instrument of violence and compulsion. I seek the social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class, and sole control of those who produce wealth. Communism is the goal."
Roger Baldwin, founder of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Quoted in the National Federation for Decency Journal, September 1988. Page 9.
Nuff said.
The ACLU are a bunch of fascists.
While I agree with all of your statements, they do not pertain to the ACLU. They have little to do with lawyers or law. They are just a tool to further the communist agenda.
You are exactly right CHARLITE. I watched too and he took a step through and then stepped back and it wasn't a 'few minutes' either!
Ping, FYI
"The ACLU are a bunch of fascists."
A American
C Communists
L Liberating
U Ungodliness
This organization is worse than raw sewage. go ahead and sue me for telling the truth!
That's not a far fetched idea. They ARE terrorists. They terrorize American citizens by twisting our laws, statutes and the Constitution itself! No wonder people are intimidated. If the ACLU comes after you, you can kiss whatever nest egg you've got "goodbye." Even whole towns can't buck the ACLU, so they acquiesce because they can't afford to bankrupt the town fighting the ACLU's legal actions. You are quite right that they should be reclassified as a terror organization," because that is exactly what they do. Terrorize.
Thanks for your comment!
Char
I'm frustrated. How do we (a) stop ACLU and (b) Dismantle ACLU.
Go to: http://www.stoptheaclu.blogspot.com would be a start.
My statement has everything to do with lawyers. Many (particularly at the ACLU) have no sense of justice or righteousness. It's "do whatever it takes" for the money.
Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) - http://www.alliancedefensefund.org
Thomas More Law Center (TMLC) - http://www.thomasmore.org
American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) - http://www.aclj.org
The Rutherford Institute - http://www.rutherford.org/
Stop the ACLU Coalition - http://www.stoptheaclu.org
Here are a few examples of how two of those organizations are fighting back:
ADF Contacts Over 3,600 School Districts Over Attempts To Censor Christmas
ADF: 700 lawyers ready to fight ACLU lawsuits
ADF: Pentagons' Warning About Boyscouts Is Absurd
Thomas More Law Center: Town of Palm Beach Pays $50,000 In Attorney Fees Apologizes To Women In Nativity Lawsuit
Additional information:
The ACLU must be destroyed: Joseph Farah supports Boy Scouts, urges Americans to fight back
Citizens mobilized to stop ACLU (seeks to consign group to 'ash heap of history')
ACLU fulfilling communist agenda
Revealing FACTS on the ACLU from its own writings
See how YOUR Senator or Representative ranks with the ACLU
This group just started on December 3, 2004 and are looking for new members to their yahoo group
My Personal Anti-ACLU Blog (Check it out and leave a comment!)
Two comments:
First: It was not "inadvertant". He was making a point as to how easy it is to cross.
Second: Don't these people have anything better to do?
PATHETIC!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my FoxFan list. *Warning: This can be a high-volume ping list at times.
That's correct .. I believe it's actually about 12 feet between borders; at least here in San Diego.
All that has happened is that their true Communist roots are showing now. The ACLU was founded in the 1920s and their co-founder, Roger Baldwin, belonged to the Communist Party (supposedly, disenchanted and withdrew from them in the 1940s). Through Baldwin, the ACLU maintained close ties to the Communist Party,
It is now and has always been a extreme left leaning organization, hiding behind the US Constitution, while they try to destroy it. Claiming they don't defend persons, but a persons rights, they have yet to explain adequately why they have defended NAMBLA members.
F**k
Liberal
Reds
My point was - They (the ACLU) have little to do with lawyers or law. They (the ACLU) are just a tool to further the communist agenda.
ACLU was apparently formed early in the 20th Century as part of a massive undertaking by the Stalinist Communist and their American tools to subvert and destroy the US. The ACLU only became a legal force after parasitically riding on the Civil Rights banner...just like Jesse, Big Al Sharpton and the multitudes of like minded frauds; Reds, Politicos, Feminist, UNer's, Atheist, Peace Activist, Homo's, Gun Controllers, Racist Profiteers and a brew of many do-gooders and bigots. IMO, we have actually gotten a wakeup call due to the fact that Worldwide Communist actually feel they are strong enough to show their true goal in the US, the take over of our Republic. My hope is they miscalculated, thinking after 2 terms of a BJClinton and increasingly failed military involvement in Kosovo and against Islamist Terrorist they were emboldened. Maybe they have managed to jump the Shark and we had better realize the fight has been joined, now is the time and a good win will be the ACLU DEFANGED!
Thanks for your comment! - You are very welcome.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.