2007-03-20 19:32:30 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
There seems to be a misconception that BECAUSE they defend the Constitution which may also favor the rights, liberties and freedoms of a few hate groups (also entitled to Freedom of Speech, for example) that they, the ACLU is accused of being guilty for the existence of hate groups... or because some laws do not allow discrimination of a those ACCUSED of heinous crimes... what those who say that they hate the ACLU seem to forget is that ANYONE can at any given time be ACCUSED of a crime and find themselves also being "found guilty by accusation" and discriminated by virtue of the crime accused of committing... which does not in any way indicate that they are guilty... a FAIR trial with a jury of one's peers (one's equals under the eyes of the law) determines the guilt of innocence... but one must be provided legal counsel and the opportunity to prove one's innocence (or have the prosecution prove one's guilt FAIRLY).
The fact is that too many people, or groups of people, are unpopular in certain segments of our society, and they are discriminated upon and often times when accused of a crime, they may have been falsely accused... and it happens. The historic case to remember is the Scottsboro Boys Case (do a google search) or those prisoners that have spent years in jail for crimes they were "found guilty" of but were innocent as recent scientific evidence shows (DNA evidence) and have been released... and some luckily were not executed!
The ACLU merely tries to guarantee that those accused of a crime get a FAIR trial under the law, and in accordance with the Constitution; they try to guarantee that no one is unfairly treated because of social taboos or unpopularity or unscrupulous or over-zealous police and/or prosecutors. If someone commits a heinous crime, then it is up to the police and the prosecutors to bring that person to justice, as they are paid to do, but not by falsely accusing someone and hiding exculpatory evidence, or falsely implicating someone who may be a political enemy or someone they do not like (for whatever reason).
I often equate the ACLU with antibiotics. The ACLU protects the rights, liberties and freedoms under the law of those who are popular as well as those who are unpopular, and antibiotics helps cure those who are good people as well as those who are bad people. IF the ACLU is ever eliminated, so should antibiotics.
The ACLU exists to protect the Constitutional rights, liberties and freedoms of ALL people; it is NOT terrible; what is terrible is the misconception of a few ignorant individuals and a few misguided groups of individuals that are very vocal in proving their own ignorance.
The ACLU still exists because, thankfully, there are still enough intelligent, educated and knowledgeable people in this great nation of ours that want to ensure the continued existence of our Constitution and all the things that make this nation great: our freedoms, liberties, and our rights!
2007-03-20 20:05:18 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Who says it is so undesirable? (ok, Fox information does. next.) Many agencies that are unarguably "undesirable" (i.e., NAMBLA) are allowed to exist because of fact this remains technically a unfastened society. unfastened, partly, because of fact of agencies like the ACLU. some might chastise the ACLU, say they have long previous too some distance (lower back, the NAMBLA occasion), yet final analysis, there is not something incorrect with a company whose very, sole purpose is to safeguard our civil rights and freedoms.
2016-11-27 19:12:53 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they are a private group that works to defend the Constitution. And as long as the Constitution exists, they are allowed to continue acting to defend it.
Once the Constitution is finally buried, then the ACLU will cease to exist. And if the ACLU ceases to exist, it's only a matter of time before the Constitution is no more.
2007-03-20 19:44:10 · answer #3 · answered by coragryph 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Terrible is in the eye of the beholder. I worked with the ACLU to get our city council to reject the Patriot Act. Look at the way it has been abused by this administration.
2007-03-20 19:49:08 · answer #4 · answered by ursi 1 · 4⤊ 2⤋
The ACLU is not terrible at all, it stands for the constitution and because a court decision went against the repuglicans call them out of their name. They forget that a judge heard both sides and came up with a verdict. It is really as simple as that. To bad they are so badly mentally diminished that they do not understand that.
2007-03-20 19:38:07 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 3⤋
Only people who parrot the mindless rhetoric of right wing radio rabble rousers think the ACLU is terrible.
2007-03-20 20:01:30 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Because they allow someone that is more terrible than the ACLU to operate in the USA. Who? The left wing of the democratic party, that's who.
2007-03-20 19:38:39 · answer #7 · answered by just the facts 5 · 2⤊ 6⤋
The ACLU tilts on communist causes they fall in the Anti American group and they have for a long time. They pick cause that promote anarchy.
More they say more ppl realize what they are and they become less relevant. Better to starve the beast then kill it.
2007-03-20 19:53:19 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
They are not allowed to operate in the USA. They have a right and a responsibility to protect the constitutional rights of each and every citizen whose rights have been violated, may be violated or may be eroded to such a degree that the constitution itself is in jeopardy.
2007-03-20 19:39:05 · answer #9 · answered by voodooprankster 4 · 4⤊ 3⤋
Because the protect the Civil Liberties of all Americans including the right wing extremists who hate them for protecting the poor and down trodden.
2007-03-20 19:38:31 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 3⤋