A.C.L.U. = Communism, right?

Question

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/articl...

One of the greatest myths about the ACLU is that they started out as a noble cause.

The roots of a tree go deep. There is no question that it was founded on communist/socialist principles. There is no question to the founder of the ACLU, Roger Baldwin’s, ideals:
“I have been to Europe several times, mostly in connection with international radical activities and have traveled in the United States to areas of conflict over workers rights to strike and organize. My chief aversion is the system of greed, private profit, privilege and violence which makes up the control of the world today, and which has brought it to the tragic crisis of unprecedented hunger and unemployment.

Therefore, I am for Socialism, disarmament and ultimately, for the ABOLISHING OF THE STATE ITSELF and to seek the social ownership of property,
the abolition of the propertied class
and sole control of those who produce wealth.
Communism is the goal.”


http://republicanbydesign.com/wordpress/2006/10/aclus-communist-roots-blogburst

Answer 1

That's nice, except for a few things.
(1) Who cares if the organization's founder was a socialist? Jefferson was a slaveholder who had (probably) raped his slaves, but you don't hear us calling him a racist biggot rapist... he was a great thinker about equality and freedom, and the Declaration of Independence is no less brilliant because it was written by an imperfect man.

(2) The ALCU's primary missions (free speech, criminal's rights, strong barriers against government's intrusion into our private lives (either regarding snooping, searching, or abortion)) are 100% about INDIVIDUAL rights.

(3) Communism is NOT socialism. Socialism is a form of economics where the state owns property... there are various forms of democratic socialism. Communism is anti-democractic, authoritarian rule. That's exactly what the ACLU stands AGAINST!

Please tell me what socialist or communist positions the ACLU takes now? Or that it has taken in the last 30 years?

Just because they might fall into the category of "liberal" (really meaning "democrat" -- pro choice, pro-defendants' rights, pro-privacy) doesn't mean they have any "socialist" positions whatsoever.

Answer 2

Socialism, Communism and Capitalism are economic systems - not political ones. Under our supposedly free Constitutional Democracy, people are free to say and believe what they want. That includes you and the founder of the ACLU

I will say that I think the current ACLU is more noble than the current administration. And I will also say that someone who sought to change an economic system for the the betterment of all (as he saw things) via a use of free speech is certainly more noble than someone who has acted above the law and eroded constitutional freedoms to change the personal economies of an elite minority.

As MoxieGrrrl says on her site, "I would rather someone was wrapped in the Constitution burning the flag than wrapped in the flag burning the Constitution."

Answer 3

Sure and the Republicans = Nazism, right?!

(No links - no need.)