The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) provides legal aid and support for individuals facing violations of civil liberties, including government censorship and illegal prosecutions. The organization is controversial due to its involvement in cases such as the removal of religious symbols from public property and its defense of fringe or controversial organizations. The ACLU has historically challenged both liberal and conservative positions and has played an important role in civil rights legislation and legal protection for marginalized groups.
Founded by Roger Baldwin and others in 1920, the American Civil Liberties Union or ACLU is a non-profit organization that provides legal aid and other support for individuals facing government censorship, illegal prosecutions, violation of the rights of First Amendment and other violations of individual civil liberties. The infamous Scopes monkey trial, which pitted creationism against the theory of evolution, could be traced back to the efforts of the fledgling ACLU, for example. The ACLU’s actions have shaped the course of American law since its inception, which is why many people and organizations consider it highly controversial.
One reason the ACLU is considered controversial is the nature of the cases and the lawsuits it takes. If a city permits a nativity scene to be displayed on public property, for example, the ACLU often requests a legal injunction to remove or alter it. The legal basis for that action is the right of non-religious citizens not to display religious symbols in what should be neutral territory, but many people see this as a contentious division between church and state. While religious display may not be blatantly offensive to most city residents, the ACLU seeks to protect the civil liberties of others who may be offended.
Sometimes the ACLU provides legal aid and other support to individuals or groups whose general beliefs are contrary to the mainstream. ACLU attorneys have represented the Ku Klux Klan, the anti-homosexual Westboro Baptist Church, and the North American Man Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), among other fringe or controversial organizations. While the ACLU does not necessarily endorse the stated goals or mission statements of these organizations, it does feel compelled to defend their right to protest the government or distribute their literature.
Because most of the funding for the ACLU comes from the left or liberal side of the political spectrum, ACLU membership is often presented as negative by those on the right. Democratic President Michael Dukakis was attacked by Republican candidate George HW Bush during the 1988 election campaign for his acknowledged membership in the ACLU.
The ACLU is often characterized as an ultraliberal organization disconnected from the views and morality of the general public, although the ACLU has historically challenged both liberal and conservative positions. While the ACLU has championed the rights of pornographers to produce obscene material or mandated the removal of religious symbols from public buildings, it has also played an important role in civil rights legislation and the legal protection of the elderly, disabled, military veterans, and others who have faced government intrusion or denials of service.
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