Some examples of the ACLU helping the dark side?

[lateo]

I was having a conversation with this friend of mine the other day and I was suprised at his hatred of the ACLU. I reminded him that the ACLU even defended Rush Limburger's right to keep his medical records private. He claimed this was an isolated incident for the ACLU. I don't believe it is because I can remember other occasions were the ACLU has defended other wing nuts.

Can anyone please post some examples that you may know of?

[expatriot]

1. I was thinking that during the whole "War on Christmas" thing that

the ACLU really needed a rapid response resource on their site. The accounts of them defending Christian's right to worship in public, to express their faith in the workplace, etc. is really astounding... I will work on finding some examples... give me a few minutes.

[expatriot]

14. oh wow... it looks like the ACLU _is_ doing a bit of rapid response

See post #11 for a few specific cases in which the ACLU has defended the rights of Christian's to worship publicly... but check out their "religious liberties" page.... they do debunk some urban legends. Awesome! They, and other such groups under constant attack by the Right, need to do more of this.

http://www.aclu.org/ReligiousLiberty/ReligiousLibertyMain.cfm

[eyesroll]

2. ACLU defended the Klan's right to march.

http://www.aclufl.org/take_action/students/case_of_the_month/1999/faqs1099.cfm

[terrya]

3. The ACLU has defending a neo-nazi group to speak in Skokie, Illinois.

I do remember that instance.

[Nevernose]

4. Fought to let Christian kids have Bible clubs in public schools

Got a Jewish lawyer to defend the Nazi's right to march in Skokie (of course, when I used this last one with a Republican friend of mine, he just claimed that the Nazis were liberals, so it might not work with other Repubs, either).

[CTLawGuy]

9. did you tell him

that "Yeah liberals are huge racists :eyes:"

I'd say "sorry, while we get the communists, you get the nazis."

[Nevernose]

15. But they have the word "socialist" right in the name!

And there's no arguing with that (or at least not with a Freeper).

It's been my experience that people on the right-wing have very little idea of what the right wing actually is, does, or stands for, and profess to believe in some kid of Libertarian fantasy-land while ACTUALLY believeing in pure, unadulterated authoritarianism.

[Cocoa]

5. he's listening to too much RW hate radio

the ACLU is a favorite target of theirs.

[madrchsod]

6. they have defended

aryan nation types,kkk`ers,and other such riff- raff. i can`t remember exact cases but i remember the irony of the situation

[Evergreen Emerald]

7. I was having a similar "discussion" with a friend.

I was also surprised at the distain for the ACLU whose goal is to protect the civil rights of us all--even if disagree with them (IE Limbaugh).

[Gabi Hayes]

8. my favorite,..........Ollie fricking NORTH!

they were the ones who said his congressional testimony couldn't be used against him in court

that's how he got off on appeal

you don't hear him talking too much about THAT, do you?

http://www.politicalfriendster.com/showPerson.php?id=983&name=ACLU

[catabryna]

10. They are defending...

Rush Limbaugh's right to keep his medical records sealed. How's that for hyprocasy ~~ since we all know the man hates the ACLU with a passion? LOL!

However, at the same time, as much as I can't stand the man, I do have to agree that medical records should not be available for public fodder. I haven't made up my mind as to whether or not this right should also carry over to potential evidence in a criminal investigation.

[expatriot]

11. A few cases where the ACLU defended Christians' right to public worship

ACLU fights to get minister a permit to baptize (MI)

The ACLU of Michigan has intervened on behalf of a Baptist minister who was unconstitutionally denied a permit to conduct baptisms at a lake operated by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Officials try to break up baptism (VA)

Editor's note: This Virginia case did end up going to court with the ACLU providing the pastor's defense.

Mahoney is supported in this instance by a frequent opponent on cultural issues, the ACLU, which said it will join the lawsuit if the park attempts to stop the baptism.

On "The Point," Hyman falsely claimed ACLU "abhors individual religious freedom" - Media Matters for America, April 10, 2005

Great examples - go to Media Matters site for internal links to the stories mentioned.

On the March 31 edition of "The Point," Sinclair Broadcast Group commentator Mark Hyman falsely attacked the American Civil Liberties Union, claiming: "Not unlike the Communist Chinese, the ACLU abhors individual religious freedom, and it supports only those civil liberties that fit its narrow political agenda."

In fact, the ACLU has supported religious freedom on numerous occasions, including the following:

* The ACLU joined with the Rev. Jerry Falwell to successfully challenge the constitutionality of a Virginia law that prevented churches from incorporating, on the grounds that the law "violate the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of free exercise of religion."
* In June, 2004, the ACLU threatened legal action against a park manager who had not permitted a Baptist church to perform a baptism in a Stafford County, Virginia, public park.
* After the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an argument by two American Indians that their use of the hallucinogen peyote was protected under the First Amendment (Employment Division v. Smith, 1990), the ACLU joined a number of other secular and religious organizations in requesting a rehearing of the case.
* According to a September 22, 2000, press release, the ACLU "heralded President Clinton's plan to sign into law today legislation that will protect religious freedom from unfair government restrictions.

[niallmac]

12. I wish the founding fathers could have foreseen limbaugh

"We do hereby guarantee freedom of speech for all except that fat lying sack of s**t limbaugh..."

[javadu]

13. The State of Missouri attempted to disallow the Klan from

adopting a mile of highway. The ACLU defended the Klan and, in the end, the Klan won.

I had heard that the state later named the same stretch of highway the "Rosa Parks Highway," but I am not sure whether or not that is true.

[Eric J in MN]

16. Durig the 1992 presidential race, they defended a woman

who put a Bush sign on her lawn, in violation of local laws agaisnt yard signs.

George H. W. Bush derisively called Michael Dukakis a "card-carrying member of the ACLU" during one of the debates.