ACLU will no longer defend hate groups with guns

[tallguy]

The American Civil Liberties Union will no longer defend hate groups seeking to march with firearms, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, a policy change that comes on the heels of protests by white nationalists and counter-protesters at the weekend in Virginia.

The newspaper quoted the ACLU's executive director as saying in an interview that, after violence during the Charlottesville protests, judges, police chiefs and legal groups would be required to "look at the facts of any white-supremacy protests with a much finer comb."

An ACLU spokeswoman confirmed the policy shift and said the concern over weapons was not something the group has had to contend with in the past.

"We’ve had people with odious views, all manner of bigots. But not people who want to carry weapons and are intent on committing violence," ACLU spokeswoman Stacy Sullivan said in a telephone interview.

White nationalists staged a "Unite the Right" protest in Charlottesville last weekend over plans to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a park. A number of them carried weapons, according to witnesses and video.

"If a protest group insists, ‘No, we want to be able to carry loaded firearms,’ well, we don’t have to represent them. They can find someone else," the newspaper quoted Anthony Romero, the ACLU’s executive director since 2001, as saying.

The ACLU's Virginia branch defended the right of the white nationalists, neo-Nazis and others to rally in the city that is home to the University of Virginia.

For decades, the ACLU has defended rallies by such groups on the grounds that they have constitutional rights to free speech.

U.S. rights group rethinks defending hate groups protesting with guns

[Value Buy]

I imagine their donations are starting to dry up because I would think many of the liberal donations to them might be drying up, or at least the e-mails they are receiving is telling them if they continue, members will with hold further donations. 

[swamp]

I would join the ACLU in protecting the Nazi's right to free speech.   They are disgusting excuses for human beings, but they still have rights to spew their hateful inanities. 

[Value Buy]

Aug 18, 2017 9:39:12 GMT -5 swamp said:

I would join the ACLU in protecting the Nazi's right to free speech.   They are disgusting excuses for human beings, but they still have rights to spew their hateful inanities. 

I congratulate you, but even I am not sure as to their right of hatred spewing.
I do thank God the Founding Fathers thought otherwise, because I am not the wisest person to make that call........

[Tennesseer]

Aug 18, 2017 7:36:50 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

I imagine their donations are starting to dry up because I would think many of the liberal donations to them might be drying up, or at least the e-mails they are receiving is telling them if they continue, members will with hold further donations. 

Don't fool yourself. The ACLU is quite alive and well. The election of trump has galvanized supporters of the ACLU.

I am attending an ACLU presentation August 29 at a main library here in Memphis.

[Tennesseer]

The ACLU will still represent the KKK, white nationalists, and the like.  They just won't represent them when the bring firearms to events to intimidate counter protesters.  In fact why is there even a need to bring firearms to a planned protest they have schedule?

[movingforward]

The ACLU should absolutely protect EVERYONE'S rights; however, I don't think firearms should be allowed at ANY mass gatherings, be it BLM protests or marches by the KKK. I don't know that the ACLU is completely out of line here but they have to make this type of stuff across the board.

[Gardening Grandma]

Aug 18, 2017 10:09:00 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

The ACLU will still represent the KKK, white nationalists, and the like.  They just won't represent them when the bring firearms to events to intimidate counter protesters.  In fact why is there even a need to bring firearms to a planned protest they have schedule?

Good question....

I rejoined the ACLU last Nov.  I strongly support the right to free speech (including speech I find abhorent).

But when hate groups bring assault weapons to a "demonstration", their intent is to intimidate and terrorize. These cowards and bullies don't need a gun to make a point. They need a gun to threaten people.


-I'm glad the ACLU has made the decision they did

[Tennesseer]

Aug 18, 2017 10:06:45 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Aug 18, 2017 7:36:50 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

I imagine their donations are starting to dry up because I would think many of the liberal donations to them might be drying up, or at least the e-mails they are receiving is telling them if they continue, members will with hold further donations. 

Don't fool yourself. The ACLU is quite alive and well. The election of trump has galvanized supporters of the ACLU.

I am attending an ACLU presentation August 29 at a main library here in Memphis.

If it isn't planned to be discussed (KKK, white nationalists guns and protests) at the August 29th ACLU Freedom Forum I am attending, and if the audience is allowed to asked questions, I will ask them why they decided not to defend these groups when they carry firearms to demonstrations.