Civil Liberties

Gary at Bear to the Right posts an article from LA Daily News regarding Michael Newdow, God, and the ACLU. It started me thinking about the true meaning of civil liberties and how the ACLU has gone from defending the individual from being bowled over by the government and big business to banning the rights of freedom of expression and freedom of religion for millions of people.

Webster's New World College Dictionary defines civil liberties this way-
civil liberties: liberties guaranteed to all individuals by law, custom, judicial interpretation, etc.; rights, as of speaking or acting as one likes, without governmental interference or restraint except as determined necessary for the public welfare.

When did saying the pledge of allegiance (including "under God"), the singing of Christmas carols, moments of silence, prayer, and the displaying of the ten commandments become a hindrance to public welfare? Oh, and make note, the court that sided with Michael Newdow (The 9th Circuit "Circus" Court of California) has the ten commandments displayed in their seal and prominently in their courtroom.

The 9th Circuit's seal portrays a woman known as "the Majesty of the Law" reading a large book. At her feet is a tablet, shaped like the Ten Commandments, with 10 unreadable lines on it. It has been the court's seal for decades, circuit clerk Cathy Catterson said.

The courtroom mural — a tile mosaic of the seal — clearly shows the Ten Commandments on the tablet. SFGate.com

I find it interesting that the ACLU went from a group that defended individuals against the unfairness of business or government to becoming a business that defends groups' rights against the rights of the individual. This is how the ACLU defines themselves:

The mission of the ACLU is to preserve all of these protections and guarantees:

Your First Amendment rights-freedom of speech, association and assembly. Freedom of the press, and freedom of religion supported by the strict separation of church and state.

Your right to equal protection under the law - equal treatment regardless of race, sex, religion or national origin.

Your right to due process - fair treatment by the government whenever the loss of your liberty or property is at stake.

Your right to privacy - freedom from unwarranted government intrusion into your personal and private affairs.

We work also to extend rights to segments of our population that have traditionally been denied their rights, including Native Americans and other people of color; lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people; women; mental-health patients; prisoners; people with disabilities; and the poor.

If the rights of society's most vulnerable members are denied, everybody's rights are imperiled.

The ACLU was founded by Roger Baldwin, Crystal Eastman, Albert DeSilver and others in 1920. We are nonprofit and nonpartisan and have grown from a roomful of civil liberties activists to an organization of more than 400,000 members and supporters. We handle nearly 6,000 court cases annually from our offices in almost every state.

The ACLU has maintained the position that civil liberties must be respected, even in times of national emergency. The ACLU is supported by annual dues and contributions from its members, plus grants from private foundations and individuals. We do not receive any government funding. Learn more about joining the ACLU.

You can read more about the ACLU in our position paper "Freedom Is Why We're Here." (emphasis mine)

The pendulum has swung to the complete opposite side with the ACLU in that you do not have rights unless you are one of "society's most vulnerable members." And no, the ACLU is telling the truth in that they are not funded by the Federal Government. What it has done is become such an intimidating war horse that the small city governments and school systems end up paying off because they cannot afford to fight them in court. So, in effect, they are being funded by the government. They are just not getting that funding in a "monthly check" from the Federal Government. But, of course, they would argue this point.

Like most unions, the ACLU had it's place decades ago when it helped the individual against big business and big government, but that is not the case anymore. Today, it has become such a monster that it is crushing our American values and demoralizing our lives. If we do not take back our rights, our children will not be able to say anything in public without being afraid of sanctions by the ACLU. Political Correctness will take over completely and we will be afraid to express our opinions, practice our religion, and enjoy many of our other freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.

Please see these websites and make up your own mind...while you still can!
Stop the ACLU Coalition, Stop the ACLU-blog, and The Center for Reclaiming America.