Love ’em or hate ’em, the ACLU is involved in many aspects of our legal system. I believe they are generally serving a noble purpose, even though I sometimes disagree with the stances they take. As they explain:
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is our nation’s guardian of liberty. We work daily in courts, legislatures and in the community to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.
The American system of government is founded on two counterbalancing principles: that the majority of the people governs, through democratically elected representatives; and that the power even of a democratic majority must be limited, to ensure individual rights.
The ACLU has maintained the position that civil liberties must be respected, even in times of national emergency. The ACLU is supported by annual dues and contributions from more than 500,000 members, plus grants from private foundations and individuals. We do not receive any government funding.
