The ACLU and firearms

[AGCR]

The ACLU has often disapointed me with their national stand on the 2nd amendment though I usually support their other endeavors. Because of that I recently asked one of my magazine's local writers, to research a piece on the Texas ACLU which I am aware had broken the trend and in the last year or so, collaborated with the NRA on some pro-gun rights legislation. She finished the article for me just a couple days ago and then today I got an exciting e/mail, portions of which I'm pasting below.

"Dear Ross...
I put a letter in the mail to you today containing our quarterly newsletter. I authored a column that I think you might enjoy. I am the legal director for the ACLU of Oklahoma and, believe it or not, some of the affiliates, and National ACLU, are considering a change in our policy regarding the 2nd Amendment. Unfortunately (in my opinion), the ACLU currently holds a "collectivist" view of the 2nd Amendment. I, of course, oppose that position completely. Our affiliate is taking up the issue at our board meeting this Saturday and National is putting together a committee to study the issue. You would be surprised at how much internal discussion there is about this issue.
I'm a lifetime member of the ACLU. . .and also a benefactor member of the NRA (but like you, I'm not always crazy about some of the things the NRA does). Although the printed version of our newsletter should be in your hands in about 4 or 5 days, I'll go ahead and enclose the electronic version now. I was really surprised that my boss (the executive director) let me put this in the newsletter, but hey...maybe freedom is breaking out all over!
Best regards,
Chuck Thornton"

He wrote a pretty strong pro-gun article for the ACLU newsletter which I hope he'll let me reprint. It's nice to hear some encouraging news.
-Ross Eliot

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[Sun195]

It would be nice if they changed their position on this.

 

[fingolfen]

It would be nice if they changed their position on this.

I agree - the ACLU needs to move away from the mythical "collective right" theory on the Second Amendment. Unfortunately right now I think only a few of the state ACLU branches have embraced the Heller decision, the national ACLU stated unequivocally that they believed the Court erred in recognizing the individual right status of the Second.

 

[Joe Link]

It would be amazing if we could get the ACLU of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho to change their positions. Another goal to add to the list

 

[fingolfen]

It would be amazing if we could get the ACLU of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho to change their positions. Another goal to add to the list

And it's a very good goal at that...

The sooner we make the Second Amendment and the individual right to bear arms an issue with bipartisan support, the quicker we can shut down the wedge strategies of the big city gun grabbers and the Brady Bunch...

 

[emanon]

"NRACLU - We fight for all of your rights!"

 

[hapuna]

In fact if they are taking another look at this it would be good for us to communicate with our local ACLUs and the National ACLU to let them know how their present stand causes the group(us) to not be able to support the ACLU as we would like(even if that is an overstatement)

It would be amazing if we could get the ACLU of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho to change their positions. Another goal to add to the list

 

[RainbowBob]

It would be nice if they changed their position on this.

It would also be SMART. Imagine the membership drive they could put on if they embraced and defended ALL of our constitutional rights. They might loose some of their base in protest, but they might also convert many of them - and gain many (like myself) who wouldn't otherwise join.

I like to imagine an ACLU and a Democratic Party that finally recognizes how much support they sacrifice by remaining on the WRONG side of this issue. Votes and money are powerful persuaders. It could happen - but I won't suspend my respiratory functions while waiting.

 

[Sun195]

I like to imagine an ACLU and a Democratic Party that finally recognizes how much support they sacrifice by remaining on the WRONG side of this issue. Votes and money are powerful persuaders. It could happen - but I won't suspend my respiratory functions while waiting.

I agree - I'm not always out of alignment with these groups on other issues. It's their anti-2nd tendencies that make it difficult for me to support them.

 

[2zuks]

I don't vote straight down the line with any party. I look at the issues myself. I have been against the ACLU because they do not support all rights. The second amendment is a individual right. Even if they disregard the recent Supreme Court decision, it is clear that it was intended to be an individual right by looking at what our forfathers wrote outside of the Bill of Rights.

 

[torpedoman]

i have never seen the aclu on the right side of any issue. they are way to concerned with the criminals righs and show absolutely no concern for victoms. They seem to read a lot into the constitution that is'nt there and ignor what is written in plain english and supported by papers written by the founding fathers.

 

[wichaka]

Any way we can read the article he wrote?

 

[AGCR]

Any way we can read the article he wrote?

It's a bit lengthy to post here. I did get permission from the ACLU to reprint it in the next AGCR issue so I'm quite pleased on that. I'll see about posting the article on my website after that comes out, hopefully soon.
/Ross

 

[AGCR]

i have never seen the aclu on the right side of any issue. they are way to concerned with the criminals righs and show absolutely no concern for victoms. They seem to read a lot into the constitution that is'nt there and ignor what is written in plain english and supported by papers written by the founding fathers.

The 1st Amendment has never had a more equitable supporter than the ACLU. They've defended freedom of speech for everyone from anti-war groups to the KKK and recently anti-abortion protesters in Oklahoma as well. It's wise to remember much of what the founding fathers wrote in "plain English" was intended to preserve such things as chattel slavery and the vote only for rich landowners. As society progresses we have fortunately shed those misgided ideas. Nobody gets it right 100%, but with several state ACLU branches changing their position on the 2nd, they're a lot closer to being the best overall advocates the Constitution has.
/ross

 

[fingolfen]

The 1st Amendment has never had a more equitable supporter than the ACLU. They've defended freedom of speech for everyone from anti-war groups to the KKK and recently anti-abortion protesters in Oklahoma as well. It's wise to remember much of what the founding fathers wrote in "plain English" was intended to preserve such things as chattel slavery and the vote only for rich landowners. As society progresses we have fortunately shed those misgided ideas. Nobody gets it right 100%, but with several state ACLU branches changing their position on the 2nd, they're a lot closer to being the best overall advocates the Constitution has.
/ross

In terms of speech, you make a decent point, but that's not the whole 1st Amendment. I've generally found the ACLU to be somewhat draconian on the non-establishment clause of the 1st Amendment and guilty of glossing over the "free exercise" part...

... and they completely deny the 2nd at the national level at this point, which is decidedly unhealthy... hopefully that will change.

 

[GUN1PDX]

Waiting, hoping, and praying...

 

[Trlsmn]

The ACLU has often disapointed me with their national stand on the 2nd amendment though I usually support their other endeavors. Because of that I recently asked one of my magazine's local writers, to research a piece on the Texas ACLU which I am aware had broken the trend and in the last year or so, collaborated with the NRA on some pro-gun rights legislation. She finished the article for me just a couple days ago and then today I got an exciting e/mail, portions of which I'm pasting below.

"Dear Ross...
I put a letter in the mail to you today containing our quarterly newsletter. I authored a column that I think you might enjoy. I am the legal director for the ACLU of Oklahoma and, believe it or not, some of the affiliates, and National ACLU, are considering a change in our policy regarding the 2nd Amendment. Unfortunately (in my opinion), the ACLU currently holds a "collectivist" view of the 2nd Amendment. I, of course, oppose that position completely. Our affiliate is taking up the issue at our board meeting this Saturday and National is putting together a committee to study the issue. You would be surprised at how much internal discussion there is about this issue.
I'm a lifetime member of the ACLU. . .and also a benefactor member of the NRA (but like you, I'm not always crazy about some of the things the NRA does). Although the printed version of our newsletter should be in your hands in about 4 or 5 days, I'll go ahead and enclose the electronic version now. I was really surprised that my boss (the executive director) let me put this in the newsletter, but hey...maybe freedom is breaking out all over!
Best regards,
Chuck Thornton"

He wrote a pretty strong pro-gun article for the ACLU newsletter which I hope he'll let me reprint. It's nice to hear some encouraging news.
-Ross Eliot

Did this ever get printed in your Newsletter? It is a strong statement that I would like to get a hold of in print.

 

[56kninja]

The ACLU as a friend of gun rights? That would surely be an amazing thing.

 

[PMKN_PI]

Until the ACLU supports completely the 2nd Amendment, then their title of American Civil Liberties Union is false advertising and should be challenged in court.

 

[AGCR]

Did this ever get printed in your Newsletter? It is a strong statement that I would like to get a hold of in print.

Oh yeah, I was able to reprint Thornton's article. It's in the Spring 2009 issue which you can find at Powells or I'd send you a copy if you like.