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[[Image:Nghfuyr.png|right|thumb|Current logo of the ACLU.]]

[[Image:Nghfuyr.png|right|thumb|Current logo of the ACLU.]]

The '''American Civil Liberties Union''' ('''ACLU''') is a [[leftist]], [[secular]]-[[Progressivism|progressive]]. pro-[[eugenics]]<ref>Hellmann, Jesse (February 15, 2018). [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/374047-aclu-sues-to-block-ohio-law-that-bans-down-syndrome-abortions ACLU sues to block Ohio law banning Down syndrome abortions]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved February 20, 2021.</ref><ref>Hawkins, Kristin (January 17, 2019). [https://www.lifenews.com/2019/01/17/aclu-it-would-be-perverse-not-to-kill-babies-with-down-syndrome-in-abortions/ ACLU: It Would be “Perverse” Not to Kill Babies With Down Syndrome in Abortions]. ''LifeNews.com''. Retrieved February 20, 2021.</ref> [[organization]]. It was run for its first 30 years by an [[United States of America|American]] named [[Roger Baldwin]], who helped found it in 1920.  Baldwin supported communism, but later denounced it in his book, ''A New Slavery'', which condemned "the inhuman communist police state tyranny."<ref>[http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/unitarians/baldwin.html]</ref> This organization pursues a [[leftist]] agenda that includes [[censoring]] [[prayer]] and recognition of [[God]] in public institutions, such as [[public schools]]. Currently, Anthony Romero is the first openly gay CEO to run the organization. Declassified documents and letters link early ACLU leaders with [[Communist Party]].<ref>[https://dailycaller.com/2011/01/04/the-aclu%E2%80%99s-untold-stalinist-heritage/ The ACLU’s untold Stalinist heritage, Daily Caller, January 4, 2011]</ref> Helen Chaffee Biehle also indicated in her article "Focus: The Seduction of the American Public Library" that the ACLU was also [[nihilism|nihilistic]] and individualistic in its philosophy since its founding.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/19980119060706/http://www.eagleforum.org/educate/1996/feb96/focus.html<br />"When did these ideas begin to infiltrate the ALA? And who brought them in? During the social turmoil of the late sixties, the Office of Intellectual Freedom in the ALA headquarters in Chicago became very important in the making of policy. Around this time, Judith Krug began her tenure as director of that office, and in 1970 forged strong links between the ALA and the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU functioned under a philosophy of nihilism/individualism since its founding by Roger Baldwin after the turn of the century. For a time in the 1970s, Ms. Krug served simultaneously as ALA Intellectual Freedom Director and as a board member of the ACLU, which has given her several awards. The ACLU, according to George Grant's 1989 study, believes that children should have the same rights as adults, that pornography should be protected by the Constitution, that the First Amendment's free speech clause implies a right to receive information, and that the smallest limitation of any speech or expression will automatically lead to totalitarian repression." </ref> Even left-leaning figures such as civil libertarian [[Alan Dershowitz]] have criticized the ACLU for being a partisan left-wing advocacy group rather than actually defending civil liberties.<ref>Dershowitz, Alan (June 13, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/alan-dershowitz-the-final-nail-in-the-aclus-coffin Alan Dershowitz: The final nail in the ACLU's coffin]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved June 13, 2018.</ref>

The '''American Civil Liberties Union''' ('''ACLU''') is a [[leftist]], [[secular]]-[[Progressivism|progressive]]. pro-[[eugenics]]<ref>Hellmann, Jesse (February 15, 2018). [https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/374047-aclu-sues-to-block-ohio-law-that-bans-down-syndrome-abortions ACLU sues to block Ohio law banning Down syndrome abortions]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved February 20, 2021.</ref><ref>Hawkins, Kristin (January 17, 2019). [https://www.lifenews.com/2019/01/17/aclu-it-would-be-perverse-not-to-kill-babies-with-down-syndrome-in-abortions/ ACLU: It Would be “Perverse” Not to Kill Babies With Down Syndrome in Abortions]. ''LifeNews.com''. Retrieved February 20, 2021.</ref> [[organization]]. It was run for its first 30 years by an [[United States of America|American]] named [[Roger Baldwin]], who helped found it in 1920.  Baldwin supported communism, but later denounced it in his book, ''A New Slavery'', which condemned "the inhuman communist police state tyranny."<ref>[http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/unitarians/baldwin.html]</ref> This organization pursues a [[leftist]] agenda that includes [[censoring]] [[prayer]] and recognition of [[God]] in public institutions, such as [[public schools]]. Currently, Anthony Romero is the first openly gay CEO to run the organization. Declassified documents and letters link early ACLU leaders with [[Communist Party]].<ref>[https://dailycaller.com/2011/01/04/the-aclu%E2%80%99s-untold-stalinist-heritage/ The ACLU’s untold Stalinist heritage, Daily Caller, January 4, 2011]</ref> Helen Chaffee Biehle also indicated in her article "Focus: The Seduction of the American Public Library" that the ACLU was also [[nihilism|nihilistic]] and individualistic in its philosophy since its founding.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/19980119060706/http://www.eagleforum.org/educate/1996/feb96/focus.html<br />"When did these ideas begin to infiltrate the ALA? And who brought them in? During the social turmoil of the late sixties, the Office of Intellectual Freedom in the ALA headquarters in Chicago became very important in the making of policy. Around this time, Judith Krug began her tenure as director of that office, and in 1970 forged strong links between the ALA and the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU functioned under a philosophy of nihilism/individualism since its founding by Roger Baldwin after the turn of the century. For a time in the 1970s, Ms. Krug served simultaneously as ALA Intellectual Freedom Director and as a board member of the ACLU, which has given her several awards. The ACLU, according to George Grant's 1989 study, believes that children should have the same rights as adults, that pornography should be protected by the Constitution, that the First Amendment's free speech clause implies a right to receive information, and that the smallest limitation of any speech or expression will automatically lead to totalitarian repression."</ref> Even left-leaning figures such as civil libertarian [[Alan Dershowitz]] have criticized the ACLU for being a partisan left-wing advocacy group rather than actually defending civil liberties.<ref>Dershowitz, Alan (June 13, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/alan-dershowitz-the-final-nail-in-the-aclus-coffin Alan Dershowitz: The final nail in the ACLU's coffin]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved June 13, 2018.</ref>

A leaked memo in 2018 showed that the ACLU does not care about defending First Amendment rights and placed [[SJW]] causes along with the concern if free speech will hurt "marginalized communities" over actually defending the Constitution.<ref>Multiple references:

A leaked memo in 2018 showed that the ACLU does not care about defending First Amendment rights and placed [[SJW]] causes along with the concern if free speech will hurt "marginalized communities" over actually defending the Constitution.<ref>Multiple references:

The ACLU's founding members were [[Roger Baldwin]], [[Crystal Eastman]], [[Walter Nelles]], [[Morris Ernst]], [[Albert DeSilver]], [[Arthur Garfield Hays]], [[Helen Keller]], [[Jane Addams]], [[Felix Frankfurter]], and [[Elizabeth Gurley Flynn]]. Baldwin, the driving force behind the ACLU in its early years, testified in 1938 that he had expressed his views in the Harvard Classbook three years previously as follows:

The ACLU's founding members were [[Roger Baldwin]], [[Crystal Eastman]], [[Walter Nelles]], [[Morris Ernst]], [[Albert DeSilver]], [[Arthur Garfield Hays]], [[Helen Keller]], [[Jane Addams]], [[Felix Frankfurter]], and [[Elizabeth Gurley Flynn]]. Baldwin, the driving force behind the ACLU in its early years, testified in 1938 that he had expressed his views in the Harvard Classbook three years previously as follows:

{{cquote|I am for socialism, disarmament, and ultimately for abolishing the State itself as an instrument of violence and compulsion. I seek social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class, and sole control by those who produce wealth. Communism is the goal.<ref>Affidavit of Roger N. Baldwin, December 31, 1938, Investigation of un-American propaganda activities in the United States. Hearings before a Special Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, 75th-78th Congress, pp. 3081-3082.</ref>}}

{{cquote|I am for socialism, disarmament, and ultimately for abolishing the State itself as an instrument of violence and compulsion. I seek social ownership of property, the abolition of the propertied class, and sole control by those who produce wealth. Communism is the goal.<ref>Affidavit of Roger N. Baldwin, December 31, 1938, Investigation of un-American propaganda activities in the United States. Hearings before a Special Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, 75th-78th Congress, pp. 3081-3082.</ref>}}

In 1940, during the Nazi-Soviet pact, under threat of being listed by HUAC as a Communist front, the ACLU  purged from its Executive Committee any "member of any political organization which supports totalitarian dictatorship in any country, or who by his public declaration and connections indicates his support of such a principle."<ref>Lucille Milner and Martin F. Luthke, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=s9XBz5mD1OkC Education of an American Liberal]'' (eBookIt.com, 2013), ISBN 1456602063</ref> Among those purged was Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, who would go on to serve as National Chairwoman of the Communist Party USA.<ref>[http://content.cdlib.org/view?query=&docId=kt396n99b3&chunk.id=d0e2699&toc.depth=1&toc.id=0&&x=0&y=0 History of the American Civil Liberties Union], Eleventh Report of the Senate Fact-Finding Subcommittee on Un-American Activities, California Legislature, 1961</ref>

In 1940, during the Nazi-Soviet pact, under threat of being listed by HUAC as a Communist front, the ACLU  purged from its executive committee any "member of any political organization which supports totalitarian dictatorship in any country, or who by his public declaration and connections indicates his support of such a principle."<ref>Lucille Milner and Martin F. Luthke, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=s9XBz5mD1OkC Education of an American Liberal]'' (eBookIt.com, 2013), ISBN 1456602063</ref> Among those purged was Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, who would go on to serve as National Chairwoman of the Communist Party USA.<ref>[http://content.cdlib.org/view?query=&docId=kt396n99b3&chunk.id=d0e2699&toc.depth=1&toc.id=0&&x=0&y=0 History of the American Civil Liberties Union], Eleventh Report of the Senate Fact-Finding Subcommittee on Un-American Activities, California Legislature, 1961</ref>

Nevertheless, its continued front activity caused the ACLU to be listed as a Communist front by a joint committee of the California Legislature in 1943:

Nevertheless, its continued front activity caused the ACLU to be listed as a Communist front by a joint committee of the California Legislature in 1943:

*In September 2000, the ACLU represented the [[North American Man/Boy Love Association]] when the parents of Jeffrey Curley, who was raped, tortured and murdered by two men, filed a $200 million federal lawsuit for wrongful death.  John Roberts, the executive director of the Massachusetts ACLU stated, ''It's not a real popular case, but the First Amendment issues are clear.''  The case was dismissed on a technicality.  A subsequent lawsuit filed against the murderers, who were not represented by the ACLU, was successful.  Jeffrey Curley's father, Robert Curley, was sympathetic to the ACLU's opposition to his lawsuit.  "I really do have a lot of respect for them, they are very consistent in who they defend.  It takes a lot of nerve to defend the groups they have over the years. They have a lot of courage."  <ref>http://sidesplitters.catastrophe.net/arch/2002/www.ageofconsent.com/comments/numberfortytwo.htm</ref><ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0DE0D91530F932A3575AC0A9669C8B63</ref>

*In September 2000, the ACLU represented the [[North American Man/Boy Love Association]] when the parents of Jeffrey Curley, who was raped, tortured and murdered by two men, filed a $200 million federal lawsuit for wrongful death.  John Roberts, the executive director of the Massachusetts ACLU stated, ''It's not a real popular case, but the First Amendment issues are clear.''  The case was dismissed on a technicality.  A subsequent lawsuit filed against the murderers, who were not represented by the ACLU, was successful.  Jeffrey Curley's father, Robert Curley, was sympathetic to the ACLU's opposition to his lawsuit.  "I really do have a lot of respect for them, they are very consistent in who they defend.  It takes a lot of nerve to defend the groups they have over the years. They have a lot of courage."  <ref>http://sidesplitters.catastrophe.net/arch/2002/www.ageofconsent.com/comments/numberfortytwo.htm</ref><ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0DE0D91530F932A3575AC0A9669C8B63</ref>

*The ACLU has been involved with lawsuits filed against Attorney Generals [[Janet Reno|Reno]], [[John Ashcroft|Ashcroft]] and [[Alberto R. Gonzales|Gonzales]] when fighting the enforcement of the Child Online Protection Act (COPA).  Federal courts have consistently ruled COPA violates the constitutional protection of free speech and have forbidden enforcement by the federal government.  The most current ruling on March 22, 2007 is being appealed.<ref>http://www.mediacoalition.org/legal/copa/index.htm</ref>

*The ACLU has been involved with lawsuits filed against Attorney Generals [[Janet Reno|Reno]], [[John Ashcroft|Ashcroft]] and [[Alberto R. Gonzales|Gonzales]] when fighting the enforcement of the Child Online Protection Act (COPA).  Federal courts have consistently ruled COPA violates the constitutional protection of free speech and have forbidden enforcement by the federal government.  The most current ruling on March 22, 2007, is being appealed.<ref>http://www.mediacoalition.org/legal/copa/index.htm</ref>

*In 1949, the ACLU defended Father Arthur Terminiello, an ex-Catholic priest, who gave a speech at a rally in Chicago that was laced with racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Communist comments.  Father Terminiello was fined $100 for violating Chicago's breach of peace ordinance.  This fine was later reversed by the Supreme Court.<ref>http://www.comm.unt.edu/faculty/terminiello_v.htm</ref><ref>https://www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12808pub19941231.html</ref>

*In 1949, the ACLU defended Father Arthur Terminiello, an ex-Catholic priest, who gave a speech at a rally in Chicago that was laced with racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Communist comments.  Father Terminiello was fined $100 for violating Chicago's breach of peace ordinance.  This fine was later reversed by the Supreme Court.<ref>http://www.comm.unt.edu/faculty/terminiello_v.htm</ref><ref>https://www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12808pub19941231.html</ref>