A history of the ACLU defending the Confederate flag, the tea party, the KKK and Rush Limbaugh

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Thu Jul 2, 2015, 08:23 AM - Edit history (4)

I should point out that the Sons of Confederate Veterans is not a "Confederate Veterans group." The War ended 150 years ago, so even Confederate drummer boys would now have to be at least 160 years old.

A history of the ACLU defending the Confederate flag, the tea party, the KKK and Rush Limbaugh

The Fix
By Amber Philips June 19, 2015

Thursday's Supreme Court case on Confederate flag license plates has created some bizarre allies. ... The Supreme Court released a decision ruling against a Confederate veterans group that wanted the state of Texas to approve a specialty license plate with the Confederate flag. The state denied the plate, and the veterans group sued Texas for violating its free speech.

In a 5-4 decision, the justices said the license plate was government property and therefore not subject to free speech protections.

(The Supreme Court just dealt the Confederate flag a blow)

The Confederate Veterans group wasn't happy about the way the case turned out. Neither was the American Civil Liberties Union. Its legal director, Steven R. Shapiro, issued a stern statement in response to the decision:

"By allowing states to censor private speech they deem offensive, today's decision is a step backwards for the First Amendment."

The ACLU siding with a Confederate veterans group might have raised some eyebrows in political circles. The nonpartisan nonprofit tends to fall to the left of the political spectrum on most issues.

But when it comes to free speech, the ACLU has a long history of defending people and groups that share very few of its political values. Here are some prominent right-wing groups and people they've defended:

(snip)

[alc]

1. 1st amendment applies to speech you disagree with

If you only defend speech you agree with, you really aren't for the 1st amendment. And when a course case finds that speech you don't like can be suppressed, it's a precedent to be used against speech you do like with in the future. If you want to be a major defender of speech you are for, you also have to defend speech you are against - it's not ok to just sit on the sidelines in those cases because you disagree with the speech.

[Fred Sanders]

2. Except a government flag flying is not free speech, it is conduct. And immoral conduct if it is the Dixie Swastika

So ruled SCOTUS on the Dixie Swastika on license plates in Texas.

[alc]

3. they don't need to win every case

But they should make any and every argument they believe in. And they should make sure the ruling against them is as narrow as possible. You don't want a broad precedent set for a future case because someone you didn't like had a bad legal team.

[Dale1000]

4. Confederate Flag

The confederate flag at the South Carolina State building is a disgusting symbol of hate and bigotry that would best serve it's purpose when used as toilet paper.

TAKE THAT PUTRID THING DOWN NOW AND FLUSH IT.

[ncjustice80]

5. Stuff like this is why I can't support the ACLU.

1st amendment or no, I can't side with someone who sides with the Tea party or the KKK (basically the same thing in my eyes).