Once a bastion of free speech, the ACLU faces an identity crisis

Re:Once a bastion of free speech, the ACLU faces an identity... by bradleyjg on Sunday June 06, 2021 @08:30PM (#27417686)

The ACLU has been the premier organization fighting for free speech since its inception. This transformation is like the staff of the Muscular Dystrophy Association deciding it really ought to put its energy into fighting herpes. There’s nothing wrong with fighting herpes, but if staffers did that they’d be stealing the organization.

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Re:Once a bastion of free speech, the ACLU faces an identity... by mesozoic on Monday June 07, 2021 @02:45AM (#27419746)

It's really more like the staff of an anti AIDs org trying to organize to give as many people AIDs as possible

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Re:Once a bastion of free speech, the ACLU faces an identity... by saagarjha on Monday June 07, 2021 @07:29AM (#27421299)

Well, more like refusing to help certain people suffering from AIDS on the basis that they’re “a net negative” by engaging in behaviors that spread the disease.

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Re:Once a bastion of free speech, the ACLU faces an identity... by teclordphrack2 on Sunday June 06, 2021 @08:38PM (#27417746)

"he ACLU has been the premier organization fighting for free speech"

Just b/c the article says it does not make it so. The ACLU has a broad agenda of things they defend. "Civil Liberties" does not just mean speech.

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Re:Once a bastion of free speech, the ACLU faces an identity... by bradleyjg on Sunday June 06, 2021 @08:48PM (#27417815)

This article is not the first time I’ve ever heard of the ACLU. I read dozens of their cases in law school and attended lectures and conferences they’ve organized. I’m well aware of their history.

It’s true that civil liberties means more than just free speech. They’ve also done very important work in defending the rights of the accused, for example.

What they never were, until the organization was stolen, was a generic left of center organization that advocated whatever happened to be popular among that sector of society regardless of whether or not it had anything to do with civil liberties, or indeed were outright opposed.

There’s always been ideologues that thought that anything and everything else should give way before their moral certainty about everything. It just unfortunate that they’ve destroyed an institution that stood up for specific meta-principles.

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