No more wedgies…the season is here.

going to their website, here are some of their press release thingies:

8-30-06: “MONTPELIER, VT – The American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont announced today that the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court’s ruling and affirmed the free speech rights of a Williamstown Middle School student to wear a T-shirt critical of President Bush.”

8-30-06: “BALTIMORE — Following reports that Baltimore peace groups have been targets of illegal spying, the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today filed public information requests with federal and state authorities. The ACLU said it is concerned that the disturbing national trend of government surveillance of political and religious groups may also be happening here in the ‘Free State.’”

8-29-06: “CLEVELAND, OH — Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio along with the Brennan Center, Lawyers’ Committee and the ACLU Voting Rights Project filed a lawsuit challenging a voter intimidation provision in Ohio law that unfairly burdens naturalized U.S. citizens.”

8-24-06: “NEW YORK — The New York Civil Liberties Union today urged the village of Bellport to drop an arbitrary and unconstitutional requirement that any group wishing to march on the street must purchase $2 million in insurance and indemnify Bellport from liability as a condition of receiving a permit.”

8-23-06: “LITTLE ROCK, AR — A federal judge in Little Rock today agreed with the American Civil Liberties Union that Arkansas’ rule for getting third party candidates on the ballot is unconstitutional.”

8-23-06: “BOSTON – Rejecting wildly overblown assertions that private phone companies can hide behind a “state secrets” argument, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today said it has filed legal papers with the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy (DTE) calling for a prompt public hearing on a May 2006 complaint against Verizon and AT&T for their reported role in facilitating illegal government spying on ordinary Americans.”

8-22-06: “ST. LOUIS, MO — The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed a final federal appeals court decision affirming the redrawing of legislative district lines in South Dakota to ensure there is no discrimination against Native American voters. The decision came in Bone Shirt v. Hazeltine, a case originally brought by the ACLU on behalf of four Native American voters in December 2001, after the South Dakota legislature redrew the boundaries of the state’s 35 legislative districts.”

8-21-06: “ALBUQUERQUE – The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico filed a lawsuit today against a federal drug enforcement agent and two police officers who illegally searched and roughed up an Armenian couple last summer while their Amtrak train was stopped in Albuquerque. Today’s lawsuit seeks multiple violations of the civil rights of both individuals.”

8-15-06: “NEW YORK — The New York Civil Liberties Union today filed a complaint against three pharmacists who refused to fill patients’ prescriptions for refill doses of emergency contraception. The complaint argues that the pharmacists should be disciplined for neglecting professional responsibilities.”

8-10-06: “ST. LOUIS, MO — The American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri and the ACLU Women’s Rights Project filed a lawsuit today on behalf of a family that was denied a permit to live in the city of Black Jack because of a law that prohibits more than three people from living together unless they are related by ‘blood, marriage or adoption.’”

So there is ten right there. You may not agree with their views, but these issues certainly deserve to be brought before a court.

They may be wrong a lot, and they may be annoying, but they serve a necessary purpose in a democracy.

I hear the words, “The ACLU is suing….” I automatically assume it’s a worthless case. They’ve gotten a bum rap because they deserve it. That being said, I don’t know the particulars in the NMSU case, so this could be one of the rare times the ACLU has a point.

i agree that this isn’t really on topic, but the ACLU seems to get a really bum rap, when 99% of their work is excellent.

Anno regni, laus Spurrier semper!

Singling out Muslim players on religious grounds for interrogations etc., then dismissing them from the team for minor infractions doesn’t strike anyone as potentially discriminatory?

If Mumme wants to get up to that kind of business he should go coach at Oral Roberts… assuming they play football of course.

The right to seek redress against discriminatory or other capricious behavior is what makes this country great. I signed up to be an ‘merican for that reason among others, and it surprises me the number of people who don’t value that legal tradition.