[do the dhue]

While the bulk of the ACLU's cases involve the First Amendment, Equal Protection, Due Process, and the right to privacy (see, e.g., the Louisiana chapter [9]), the organization has taken positions on a wide range of important issues. Broadly, the ACLU supports:


Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa speaking at an ACLU event. Villaraigosa is a former board member and president of the ACLU Southern California affiliate.separation of church and state; under this mandate, the ACLU:
Opposes the government-sponsored display of religious symbols on public property;
Opposes official prayers, religious ceremonies, and some kinds of "moments of silence" [10] in public schools or schools funded with public money;
full freedom of speech and of the press, including school newspapers;
reproductive rights, including the right to use contraception and to have an abortion;
full civil rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people, including government benefits for homosexual couples equal to those provided for heterosexual ones;
affirmative action as a means of redressing past discrimination and achieving a racially diverse student body [11];
the rights of defendants and suspects against unconstitutional police practices;
the decriminalization of drugs such as heroin, cocaine and marijuana [12];
privacy as it "works to preserve the American tradition that the government not track individuals or violate privacy unless it has evidence of wrongdoing." [13]
immigrants' rights by "challenging unconstitutional laws and practices, countering the myths upon which many of these laws are based." [14]
The ACLU has opposed some campaign finance laws such as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, which it considers an inappropriate restriction upon freedom of expression. It does not have a policy of blanket opposition to all laws on campaign finance.

Regarding gun control laws, the official policy of the national ACLU argues that the Second Amendment is "intended mainly to protect the right of the states to maintain militias to assure their own freedom and security against the central government" and is not intended to "confer an unlimited right upon individuals to own guns or other weapons." [15]

The ACLU has been noted for vigorously defending the right to express unpopular, controversial, and extremist opinions from any part of the political spectrum.


To many things the ACLU stands against that I believe in. My money goes to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

[mugs99]

To many things the ACLU stands against that I believe in
Sure, there are many things national policy is against that I believe in. I would like nothing better than to see national leadership changed. I wish there was a Conservative organization defending the Constitution instead of hoping for a change in ACLU national policy...but there isn't.

My money goes to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).
When are we going to see them fight for our rights in court?

Regarding gun control laws, the official policy of the national ACLU argues that the Second Amendment is "intended mainly to protect the right of the states to maintain militias to assure their own freedom and security against the central government" and is not intended to "confer an unlimited right upon individuals to own guns or other weapons."

The ACLU is like the ASPCA. There is the national leadership...political smoke and mirrors, and the state branches who actually decide which cases they are going to help on. The state branches often take cases that national leadership policy does not support. Gun control is a good example. This is an issue that is causing a real rift. The Nevada branch is heavily funded by Penn Jillette. He is a strong supporter of the 2nd and believes that all federal gun laws are unConstitutional. A 2nd amendment case in Nevada will be interesting to watch if one pops up.

The same applies with religion. I don't think the national leadership was pleased when the ACLU of Virginia defended Jerry Falwell...and won!

Here's some examples:

September 20, 2005: ACLU of New Jersey joins lawsuit supporting second-grader's right to sing "Awesome God" at a talent show.

August 4, 2005: ACLU helps free a New Mexico street preacher from jail.

December 22, 2004: ACLU of New Jersey successfully defends right of religious expression by jurors.

November 20, 2004: ACLU of Nevada supports free speech rights of evangelists to preach on the sidewalks of the strip in Las Vegas.

November 9, 2004: ACLU of Nevada defends a Mormon student who was suspended after wearing a T-shirt with a religious message to school.

August 11, 2004: ACLU of Nebraska defends church facing eviction by the city of Lincoln.

July 10, 2004: Indiana Civil Liberties Union defends the rights of a Baptist minister to preach his message on public streets.

June 3, 2004: Under pressure from the ACLU of Virginia, officials agree not to prohibit baptisms on public property in Falmouth Waterside Park in Stafford County.

May 11, 2004: After ACLU of Michigan intervened on behalf of a Christian Valedictorian, a public high school agrees to stop censoring religious yearbook entries.

March 25, 2004: ACLU of Washington defends an Evangelical minister's right to preach on sidewalks.

February 21, 2003: ACLU of Massachusetts defends students punished for distributing candy canes with religious messages.

October 28, 2002: ACLU of Pennsylvania files discrimination lawsuit over denial of zoning permit for African American Baptist church.

July 11, 2002: ACLU supports right of Iowa students to distribute Christian literature at school.

The ACLU of Florida even went to court for Rush Limbaugh!
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