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Happy Fourth of July from the ACLU!On this day 232 years ago, our founders brought forth a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all people are created equal. With their minds set on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, they proceeded to lay the foundation of a great nation to be governed by the will of the people, bestowed with a balance of power among the branches of government, and free of tyranny. The fight to preserve our essential liberties is as important today as it was then. Over the last seven years, those in power in this country have brought forth a steady stream of threats to the fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution. From freedom of speech and the right to habeas corpus, to the right to vote and be treated equally under the law, so many of our personal liberties have come under attack. This weekend, as we enjoy our barbecues, our baseball games, and our fireworks, we should also take a moment to remember that there can be no greater tribute to a nation born of the desire to protect individual freedom and liberty than to stand up for those very founding principles when they are attacked. Patriotism doesn't mean blindly following the will of a few. It means being part of an informed and involved citizenry. It means exercising dissent by speaking out when you don't believe in what is happening. It means being constantly vigilant in the protection of civil liberties, and holding government officials accountable when they take aim at our freedoms. And above all, patriotism means loving this country so much that we will fight to protect the things that make it great for generations to come. This Independence Day, join us in celebrating our great nation by remembering the things upon which it was founded: Liberty and Justice for all.
Tags: Civil Liberties News
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Jul 3rd, 2008 at 5:15pm
The fight to preserve our essential liberties is as important today as it was then. Over the last seven years, those in power in this country have brought forth a steady stream of threats to the fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution. From freedom of speech and the right to habeas corpus, to the right to vote and be treated equally under the law, so many of our personal liberties have come under attack.
Except that there's one personal liberty that the ACLU is completely AWOL on: The Second Amendment's individual right to keep and bear arms. This entire "Happy 4th of July" is a slap in the face of the 75% of the US population when you conveniently leave out the Second Amendment as an individual right, and still stand steadfast to the "collective rights" theory which has been exposed as an absolute and total fraud.
All of our liberties are sacrosanct, whether it be the first amendment, second amendment, or fourth. The liberals such as myself who view the ACLU as betraying the most basic principles of our constitution are NOT going away. 282 comments, only 2 defending ACLU's collective rights stance, and I count several dozen membership cancellations and others wanting to rip up their membership cards and send them back to you. We as believers in the ACLU's charter are NOT going away.
Jul 3rd, 2008 at 6:38pm
"Liberty and Justice for all" is what you're trying to say the ACLU stands for. I know it's a blog but I still don't think you should lie. Then again, Anthony, you are just a brain-washed ACLU pawn who seems incapable of any logical thinking and follows the ACLU regardless of their communist fascist, and extreme leftist ideas. How sad. Next time get some fine print going with that statement that says, "exemptions include human beings who have not yet exited the womb, Mentally disabled individuals such as Terri Schiavo and any others that the ACLU would like to rid the world of, Christians (especially the evangelicals), and gun owners practicing their 2nd ammendment rights. Also, rights are not guaranteed to be upheld by the ACLU if you are not a terrorist, murderer, or rapist. In addition, we reserve the right to pick and choose which constitutional rights to honor, omit ones we disagree with, and add new ones. These exceptions are void where prohibited by law but we plan to unsurp the citizens' and their elected lawmakers' rights by obtaining a court order from an unelected fascist federal judge to remove any laws that the ACLU and fellow leftist organizations disagree with." That would work for me. Then you are not blatantly lying. But then again it would be kind of embarassing and not politcially expedient to stop lying. I still think you guys should do it. I know it's addicting, but try to stop drinking the kool-aid and start thinking for yourselves. You can e-mail me at mrmackey797 at comcast.net and I will be glad to answer any questions or concerns you may have about what I've said here. Thanks!!
Jul 4th, 2008 at 12:47am
Thank you for defending liberty (most of the time (your brand new firearms position may be the only exception))! This is the only organization, except for maybe the Cato Institute, I can trust anymore. And for this, Anthony, you rock! Happy 4th!
Jul 4th, 2008 at 11:42am
Not only is the ACLU against the 2d amendment they are also 100% against the 1st amendment. The 1st amendment allows for the freedom of, not from, religion and the right to practice that religion. If you check the etymology of the word religion as to what it meant at the time of the constitution, it meant any CHRISTIAN denomination. They have lied through their teeth about the separation of church and state. It is not and never has been in the constitution. It is from a personal letter from President Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist. The Danbury Baptist were concerned about the possibility of a government church and that is what they were writing about. Jefferson's response was quite simple. He stated that their is a wall of separation between the church and government but continued to say that the wall is one direction. The government is to stay out of the church but the principles of the church need to permeate government. The first amendment only states that the government can not set up or run a religion and that it can not interfere with peoples practice of religion. The ACLU is demanding that this amendment be violated. They are steeped in revisionist history. I urge all to read the constitution and what it says and it will become quite evident that the ACLU violates the letter and the spirit of the first amendment.
Jul 4th, 2008 at 1:31pm
The ACLU's stance on the Second Amendment makes no rational sense.
First, ALL rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights are individual rights. One cannot collectively have the right to not incriminate oneself. There is no collectivization in being free from having soldiers quartered in our homes. The Freedoms of Speech, Religion and the Press are not guaranteed to society as a whole but to individuals therein. Both the writings of the Founding Fathers and the structure and language of the Bill of rights prove beyond all doubt that the function of the Bill is to defend our individual rights against the abuses perpetrated by an overbearing Government. There is no reason for the Second Amendment to be seen as being the only exception to this rule.
Second, the English language does NOT permit for a reasonable reading of the Second Amendment as guaranteeing a collective right. Orwell's "1984" notwithstanding, neither the ACLU nor the Supreme Court have the right to change the English language to fit their agenda.
Third, militias at the time of the framing of the Constitution were not organs of the State, the Government or Society. They were voluntary groupings of individuals who used their own private weapons in defense of their nation. The ACLU's reading of the Second Amendment would, in fact, have made the existence of the militias of the late 18th and early 19th Centuries impossible.
Finally, any quotes one can find by our Founding Fathers, the men who created the Constitution, including the Second Amendment, show that they cherished firearms and the individual right to own, carry and use them. Several examples follow.
"The constitutions of most of our States assert, that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves... that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed..." Thomas Jefferson
"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." Thomas Jefferson
"[The Constitution preserves] the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation...(where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." James Madison,The Federalist Papers, No. 46.
"The right of self-defense never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and to individuals." James Madison
"The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States..." Noah Webster
"I ask, who are the militia? They consist of now of the whole people, except a few public officers." George Mason
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." Richard Henry Lee
"Are we at last brought to such a humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our own defence?" Patrick Henry
The ACLU is simply wrong and no amount of twisting of the truth or warping the english language will change that fact.
'Nuf said.
Jul 4th, 2008 at 7:27pm
ALL Italian museums and the Prado Museum in Madrid discriminate against senior tourists. They give free admission to seniors who are citizens of the European Union only.
The European Commission says that there are not European Laws antidiscriminatives for third nation citizens.
This discrimination does not happen neither in Britain, France or Germany.
French museums do not give any free admission neither to French, Italian, Euriopean or American citizens. Italian museums give free admission to French seniors so they should give it also to American or Israeli seniors.
This discrimination is UNTHINKABLE in the United States, no American museum asks the nationality of the visitors. All museums of Germany gave me the senior deduction without asking me for my nationality. The Museum Reina Sofia in Madrid gives free admission to all seniors without discriminating by nationality.
An Italian man who works with me told me that there are many problems in Italy because of the mafia. I agree with him because discrimination of tourists for nationality is something proper of mafiosi.
If these discriminations occurred in Myanmar, North Korea or Iran there would be uproar that human rights of Americans were violated but since it happens in Italy it is the best kept secret in the World. WHY?
Do you know of any international forum where theses discriminations can be discussed?
Peter Feldman
139 East 33rd Street #7A
New York, NY 10016
USA
PEF12@nyc.rr.com
Jul 4th, 2008 at 9:10pm
The ACLU is a hypocritical organization for it's stance on the 2nd amendment. To claim that you stand for our rights on the 4th of july wants to make me vomit. Take your "collective" rights to Russia or China where they belong
Jul 4th, 2008 at 10:06pm
You forgot the right to keep and bear arms you bunch of hypocrites! As someone who has in the past defended the ACLU to conservative gun-owning friends, I couldn't be more appalled at your complete willful blindness when it comes to the second amendment. What a bunch of crap!
When was the last time that the ACLU thought that the Supreme Court went too far in protecting a civil right? Never?
You guys made a liar out of me, and you'll never get another cent of my money until your leadership gets some cents and disembarks from this mindless, liberal partisian trip they are on. Who cares if Diane Feinstein resigns her membership, the Supreme Court just confirmed for you that the right to keep and bear arms is protected in the Constitution. Now do your job and get busy defending it!
Jul 5th, 2008 at 7:52am
IF you people screamed as much for the real dangers and perils to your rights instead of your indignance over perceived encroachments to the 2nd Amendment we would be in a far better place.
And as far as the rest of the narrowminded bigots that post here: Just once , this fourth of July try and actually read some of the case law and complaints that the ACLU have addressed instead of just blindly blathering the the tired Fox (S)News talking points.
And honestly--for all of the crap that you gun nuts spew--how many of you have actually made a lobby visit to your congressman or any elected representative. I am so sick of armchair activists--and the 2nd Amendment nuts are the worst .
Tell you what--do like the rest of us have done--join the ACLU, join your local program committee and make it a priority--oh wait, that would require real work and effort on your part. Scratch that--keep watching your reality TV and Fox News, the rest of us will work on the real dangers to the Constitution.
Now go polish your bullet, Barney.
Jul 5th, 2008 at 9:15am
We need your help!
Missouri has us at a dumping ground called Kansas City Community Release Center. This is suppose to be a transitional housing unit, to help get parolees back into the mainstream of sociaty. Its now refered to as a custody level #1 center.We are kept behind locked doors at all times, and treated as offenders in a mainline camp. I was granted parole to be released on 1-14-08 for attempted theft of ammonia. that release happened and on 1-15-08 I was locked back up for not reporting as directed, and the parole officer said he smelt pot in the apartment building where I lived. I was tested and showed negative for any drugs they test for. I was sent to KCCRC and now I can't get out, because the parole officer has stopped every home plan I have submitted. Why? one might ask. The answer is this I had a attemp sex charge in 1996 in tennesse and did my time and now Missouri treats me as a sex offender instead of the actual charge im in for and simply wont let any of my homeplans go through not even to my mothers home in a private community. They say its a summer fun ground for children, but in fact is a lake front community that is private property.Most all Sex offenders at KCCRC run into the same situations when it comes to getting a homeplan approved. WE are on parole and yet the taxpayers are still footing the bill to house that they won't let go! BIG MONEY BUSINESS for the state. Can someone help us to go home.
Jul 5th, 2008 at 11:14am
Bigotry you say, 'Get Real'? The only bigotry I see is yours, in your dismissal of the ACLU's detractors here as lazy, inbred Fox News toadies. We are of course individuals, bound together only by our support for the second amendment and/or gun rights, and you don't know a damn thing about any of us.
By far the most endangered and imperiled of our rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights is our right to keep and bear arms, so don't even start about the 'real' dangers and perils. The president and Congress may infringe and erode the others, but they'll never outright say they don't matter, and so-called civil liberties organizations certainly will not go on record pretending they don't exist. The ACLU's post-Heller stance on the second is despicable. They have betrayed their strongest principals and will soon discover there's nothing left.
Jul 5th, 2008 at 11:52am
This weekend, as we enjoy our barbecues, our baseball games, and our fireworks, we should also take a moment to remember that there can be no greater tribute to a nation born of the desire to protect individual freedom and liberty than to stand up for those very founding principles when they are attacked.
I do stand up for those very founding principles.. and yes these principles are under attack.
They are under attack from extremist (fundamentalist) Christian's who ignore the First Amendment and the writings of the founding fathers. Who continue to expound that this is a Christian nation.
They are under attack from the Bush administration AND congress who have devastated the Bill of Rights over the last seven years. All in the name of Terrorism and Security.
They are under attack from both the far Right and the far Left. From Republican and Democrat alike.
And THIS is why the Second amendment is so important. The founding fathers knew that without the right for the INDIVIDUAL to keep and bare arms, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are WORTHLESS!!
Jul 5th, 2008 at 3:01pm
Rights enshrined in the Constitution?
Does that include the right to one's self defense? Not according to the ACLU.
Jul 5th, 2008 at 4:14pm
To "Get Real" -
As happens so very often when liberals are criticized in rational, logical, factual terms (analysis of history, the language and the grammar of the Constitution and quotes from the Founding Fathers absolutely qualify), their critics receive emotional, anger filled diatribes in return.
Please take note that no one has yet offered a factual rebuttal to the logical arguments raised in favor of the view that the Second Amendment, as all the Amendments which form the Bill of Rights, provides protection exclusively for an individual right, not a collective right.
Insofar as any such rebuttal can be made, a dialogue is certainly possible and, in fact, should be initiated. If, however, the opponents of our individual rights and freedoms to carry firearms should we so wish (as an aside, I do not own a gun but fully support the rights of those of my neighbors who choose to do so) have nothing better with which to reply than invective and vitriol, no such dialogue is possible. In fact, although those who prefer insult to conversation have every right to express themselves in such a manner, doing so merely proves that their opinions have no value to society as a whole.
Jul 5th, 2008 at 4:59pm
My comment was not posted. I see where the ACLU stands on the opinions of the "common" man.
Jul 5th, 2008 at 7:51pm
I stand corrected!
Jul 6th, 2008 at 7:56am
The threat to the freedoms guaranteed by the Second Amendment were far greater than those to any of the others enumerated in the Bill of Rights. Those rights were completely lost to the citizens of Washington D.C. and many other towns in this country. The Heller decision breathed life into a freedom that was in serious danger of extinction nationwide. It is still this freedom which needs help more than any of the others. Thank you ACLU for fighting for the freedoms you do but it's time to pick up the fight for a freedom you have neglected.
The ACLU had my support for several years until I discovered they didn't support the Second Amendment. In spirit I still support nearly everything they do. But the ACLU stance on the right to keep and bear arms is very harmful and must be corrected before I can again support them.
To single out one constitutionally guaranteed freedom for neglect is no different than supporting freedom of speech for everyone except those of a particular skin color. The ACLU needs to take a deep breath, grit its teeth, and admit it was wrong. It will be painfully embarrassing but the organization, the people of the U.S., and freedom will much better served.
Jul 6th, 2008 at 5:33pm
Sir,
I was wondering if someone who is pro-life could donate some funds to your group with the promise that the money will *not* be used for any sort of abortion activism? I disagree with your group’s stance on abortion profoundly. Still, I deeply appreciate the ACLU for its work and advocacy in a host of other areas and would be interested in contributing to some of the group’s causes that I believe in.
Regards,
Rishi B.
San Diego, CA
rishisb [at]hotmail.com
Jul 7th, 2008 at 8:01am
Just one thing... your happy 4th message states: "Over the last seven years, those in power in this country have brought forth a steady stream of threats to the fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution. From freedom of speech and the right to habeas corpus, to the right to vote"
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There is no right to vote enshrined in the Constitution.
Don't believe me, oh ACLU? Read it. Read it twice. Read it 3 times. It's just not there. It forbids establishing a poll tax, etc.. but nowhere does it say one has a 'right to vote'. To be accurate, the Founders felt that only 'productive' citizens should be allowed a vote. Anyway, just FYI. Voting is not a 'right'.
Jul 7th, 2008 at 8:51am
How does the ACLU think we won our independence? Through a "collective" right to bear arms? The ACLU's rank dishonesty and hypocrisy comes shining through in this post. How can you celebrate America's independence without once acknowledging the means by which we threw off tyranny? Luckily, the Founding Fathers knew very well how it was done, and enshrined the means in our Constitution with the 2nd Amendment.
The ACLU's dishonest sophistry regarding the right to bear arms alone makes this libertarian-minded individual unable to support them. Even though, like Joe, I agree with almost everything they do otherwise, I cannot forgive them their view that I have no innate right to defend myself and my family with arms. And judging from the comments on their own blog, I'm FAR from alone.
Jul 7th, 2008 at 10:51am
1. From freedom of speech and the right to habeas corpus, to the right to vote and be treated equally under the law, so many of our personal liberties have come under attack. So why don't you stick to these important things and not worry about marines praying. "'These are federal employees,' says Lucius Traveler, a spokesman for the ACLU , 'on federal property and on federal time. For them to pray is clearly an establishment of religion, and we must nip this in the bud immediately.'" We are supposed to have freedom OF religion, not freedom from religion. Their right to freedom of religion should not end when they join the armed sevices.
2. The Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms was meant to allow our country to have a militia. Most people have nothing aginst individuals owning guns. They should have to have a license to own as we must have A driver's license. They should have to prove they understand the safe use of guns and the license & gun should be taken away if they or someone they gave access to it uses for harm. Why does the NRA want to allow criminals to own guns? Why do they want to make big guns for killing lots of people in a short time legal. Near here (in WI) a policeman was shot by a criminal with an AK-7. The criminal had a hostage.
Jul 7th, 2008 at 1:12pm
The ACLU is the biggest joke ever. Not supporting our 2nd amendment rights. Maybe someday the freedom of speech should be restricted and dubbed a collective right also. They will never see a dime of my money and I will do my best to make sure they never see a dime of anyone I know.
Jul 7th, 2008 at 1:16pm
haha whats an ak-7. I love when people just list a bunch of random stuff. First you dont need a license to own a car. I can buy and drive a car on my own property all I want. Your argument is invalid. The NRA does not want criminals to own guns. I'd like a source where you found this to be true. on a side note should you have to prove you can read and write before you can have free speech. Maybe you should get a licence to speak, of course only when you have been deemed valid by the state or government. Maybe you should register and pay a fee before you can exercise youre right to talk.
Jul 7th, 2008 at 3:42pm
The 4th of July was made possible by ARMS - Believe in the 2nd Amendment you ACLU hypocrites.
Jul 7th, 2008 at 3:57pm
The ACLU, although imperfect, does the job that they do to attempt to stave off the evils that which the government has become. In so far as the 2nd Amendment, This has been a hotly debated amendment since its inception. Blatantly saying the ACLU is against our rights, or impotent due their stance on one freedom is allowing for division that is unwarranted. For those who enjoy warrantless wiretaps, invasion of your home by government, the taking of a woman's right to choose (which I personally hope she chooses life, but that is her decision) I can only say to you that your stance is exactly why the ACLU was founded. You have the right to question, to argue, to disagree with another. Establishments like the ACLU assure that the right of Choice is protected. You solidify the case for having them around. Soldier on ACLU, The tired and voiceless still defend you.
Jul 8th, 2008 at 4:53am
and that is just what kind of a defense?...the tired and voiceless. Seems like you can't do very much with that. Someone must protect yours and mine rights, with force if neccesary. Better to have and never need then the other way around. I think that the Bill of Rights assures me of my rights not the ACLU. Our lands Bill of Rights trumps anything my state or restrictive government will impose on me. .
Jul 8th, 2008 at 1:35pm
As I recall, the War of Independence was touched off by the British marching on Lexington ... to seize a pair of privately owned cannons that a Mr. John Hancock purchased donated to the town militia.
With the ACLU's new math ( 1,3,4,5,6,7,8 ), we won't have to worry about uppity Americans ever being able to defy their "betters" again.
Do you folks really like being slapped around for failing to support a basic human right: Self-defense?
The right of self-defense requires the right to own the tools needed to use it effectively.
Jul 10th, 2008 at 10:54am
"threats to the fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution. From freedom of speech and the right to habeas corpus, to the right to vote and be treated equally under the law, so many of our personal liberties have come under attack.
This weekend, as we enjoy our barbecues, our baseball games, and our fireworks, we should also take a moment to remember that there can be no greater tribute to a nation born of the desire to protect individual freedom and liberty than to stand up for those very founding principles when they are attacked."
HAH!
It seems you've kicked over a hornet's nest and shows no signs of calming down.
Two-faced hypocrites.
Sep 4th, 2008 at 11:30pm
The ACLU called me today about renewing my membership. I told them I will not be renewing.
The reason is that I believe the ACLU has failed in their mission to protect all of the Bill of Rights by not supporting the Supreme Court decision regarding the Heller case.
I can't imagine why an organization whose mission is to defend civil liberties would single out one of those rights as being a collective right of the state even after the Supreme Court has ruled that it is an individual right. The twisted logic the ACLU has used to support their stance sounds like something out of Animal Farm.
The ACLU should consider the opinion of the man who wrote the Constitution before they explain away our second amendment rights with a bunch of Orwellian doublespeak;
"The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation...(where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." (James Madison of Virginia, The Federalist, No. 46)
I will continue to support the ACLU in any efforts to protect our civil liberties short of contributing money. As far as my annual ACLU contribution goes; I am temporarily re-directing it to the NRA until the ACLU reverses its stance on the second amendment.
I hope other members do the same.
Oct 21st, 2008 at 2:27pm
"It means exercising dissent by speaking out when you don’t believe in what is happening."
The People cannot have the ability to voice dissent when the right of the individual to protect that right is infringed upon. The ownership of firearms protects that right, as a government left unchecked from the possibility of it citizenry to take up arms against it will feel free to do as it will. You can not pick and choose which Rights you will support and which you will not and still consider yourself a bastion of freedom.
"The constitutions of most of our states [and of the United States] assert that all power is inherent
in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all
times armed; that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property
and freedom of the press."
-Thomas Jefferson
Apr 6th, 2009 at 11:04pm
*Yawn*
Usually when an educated reader such as myself notices a post with language and words such as "Liberal" used pejoratively then it usually just weakens the argument of the post. Seriously, I find no difference between the 1st or the 2nd, nor is the 5th better than the 4th. The 'Bill of Rights', in it's entirety, should be venerated, and defended!