ACLU Boasts Surprising Allies

[Ian David]

NEW YORK, March 3, 2005 — The power and pervasiveness of the American Civil Liberties Union has been on display this week. The national civil rights advocacy group was involved in the Supreme Court ruling that outlawed the death penalty for juveniles, the battle over Ten Commandments displays in public buildings and a lawsuit blaming Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld for the alleged torture of foreign fighters.

<snip>

Many evangelical Christians, for instance, consider the ACLU an enemy of religion because of the organization's staunch support of the division of church and state.

But Jim Webber, a retired real estate agent turned street preacher, is an ACLU supporter. When Las Vegas casinos tried to stop him from preaching outside their doors, the group launched a successful campaign that allowed Webber and other preachers to stay.

<snip>

"Every now and again, they get it right," said Tony Perkins, a Christian conservative lobbyist for the Family Research Council.

More:
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=548951&page=1



See also:
ACLU Supports Falwell In Lawsuit Against Virginia
November 28, 2001

LYNCHBURG, VA. (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union offered to support the Rev. Jerry Falwell in his challenge of Virginia laws that restrict how much property a church can own.
More:
http://www.sullivan-county.com/identity/falwell_sues.htm


> *********************************
> Protesters Surprised to Find Warm Welcome at ACLU Washington Office
>
> A contingent of protesters from the religious-right arrived at the
> Legislative Office of the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington, DC
> only to find the bulk of the office's staff waiting outside with cookies,
> coffee, soda and Christmas carols.
>
> "Some may have come to our offices today expecting a 'grinch,' but instead
> found a warm welcome," said Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU Washington
> Office. "Fact is, I have a lot of people in the office looking forward to
> the holiday season. We understand and respect that there are people that
> disagree with us about the best way to protect religious freedom in this
> country, but we hope that we can open a dialogue and continue to search for
> common ground."
>
> Murphy and her staff wanted to highlight for the protesters the extensive
> efforts on the part of the ACLU to defend religious free exercise claims
> across the country. "Though we often get a bad rap for our efforts to keep
> government from endorsing one particular religion over another," Murphy said,
> "the fact is we all come to work every morning to make sure that everyone is
> free to worship as he or she sees fit."

> *********************************
>
> American Civil Liberties Union
> 125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
> New York, New York 10004-2400
> http://www.aclu.org?orgid=n&MX=1801&H=0
> Phil Gutis and Gerri Engel, Editors
>
> ----- End message from [e-mail] -----

ACLU subjected to Christmas carols
Group sings in front of office to protest anti-God legal action
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=41831