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Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
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Article: 19654
[Civil]
Date Posted:
5/7/2008
6:29:19 pm EDT
Wvox Stats
Views: 4,907
RSS: 14,278
Comments: 8
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National ACLU Takes Over SC Chapter
Author: Eric K. Ward Source: Columbia Free Times
Title: NATIONAL ACLU TAKES OVER SC CHAPTER
If there is one state that can ill afford an ineffective chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union it arguably is South Carolina.
Proposed Christian license plates. Legislative assaults on equality for non-heterosexuals. The case of Darla Kaye Wynne.
If Wynne’s name doesn’t ring a bell, she is a pagan who a few years ago sued Great Falls, just north of Columbia, for its Town Council saying unconstitutional Christian prayers at the council’s meetings. Great Falls residents ostracized and persecuted Wynne for taking such a stand, but the ACLU of South Carolina helped her win her case.
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Community Thoughts: There are 8 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Personally... | May 10th. at 5:43:38 pm EDT
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Badger Breaking Ground (Denton, Texas) - Email Me
I wouldn't mind seeing NC turn into the "Offical Christianist State". Stayed there for 6 months. Hated it. Every person I met there deserves the dubious pleasure of experiancing just such a "dream" society. Also maybe it would teach the rest of the Christians in this great country a lesson when it falls apart.... Wait, no, they'd just blame us.
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| ACLU DC Membership Conference June 8-10 | May 9th. at 11:19:51 am EDT
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Terry (Irvington, Virginia) - Email Me - Web
This article is very light on solid info, as it mostly reflects practical and strategic compromises of how to be effective with a mix of political, educational, and legal strategies using volunteers in a hostile environment. Among other challenges is how volunteer and cooperating counsel are attempting to operate their own small businesses in the same hostile climate as the ACLU state chapter, and so often restrain their actions relative to what they ideologically know is overdue in the civil rights arena. It's a perverse victory that the ACLU is able to supply state chapters with major national funding and staffing help during this Bush regime, since membership has more than doubled, and the funding now exists to operate 53 state chapters (3 in CA, 1 for both Dakotas, 1 each in DC and PR, plus NYC HQ and DC lobbying offices) covering every state. Plus, this year's membership conference is likely to exceed the 1800 attendees from fall 2006, at the larger venue of the DC Convention center in walking distance to Capitol Hill.
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As to the infamous Massachusetts case years ago where that state's ACLU chapter represented NAMBLA, the issues of the case weren't so much about legality of specific speech per se, as ones of malicious prosecution using incredibly overbroad allegations of nexus, in order to chill speech via intimidation, and issues of chilling free association based on malicious prosecution where the Plaintiff counsel ideally would have had their licenses revoked for malpractice.
That case was akin to suing a firing range, firearms manufacturer, and gun store, as if related to the actions of someone who perpetrated a murder with a baseball bat. The actions of the individual child molester used as the basis to sue NAMBLA were equivalent to someone who went to a gun store to shop and didn't buy a gun, but then went to a shooting range nearby and tried shooting someone else's gun, and then several years later perpetrated a violent crime with no relationship to that earlier incomplete shopping trip (IOW, the guy had inconsequential contact with NAMBLA years prior, but no active involvement like Catholic priest employees or even the looser relationships of Mormon Deacon lay clergy molesters) . Anyone who's actually bothered to read the court record of that case (online via usual legal sources, and linked from the MA ACLU chapter site) knows it has as much to do with the legality of NAMBLA's political or civil rights educational and lobbying speech as Jerry Falwell's suit against LFP inc dba Hustler had to do with so-called "porn", when it was really about standards for libel of public figures.
Perhaps witches and assorted pagans might be familiar already with how convenient it is for those who like to use broad smear campaigns based on unfounded prejudices and bigotry, when many people are willing to be reactive sheeple to emotive hot button triggers, but few bother to seriously investigate even mildly complex issues and make reasoned decisions based on facts?
In that sense it's likely this SC chapter takeover is related to the kind of reckless avoidance of clear thinking behind the NAMBLA case. Sadly, the problem is that such thinking is substituted for the rule of law or core standards of justice among jurors and political appointee judges. In contrast, the Loving case recently posted on WitchVOX helped the Virginia chapter solidify 4 decades ago, into one that now has 2 staff lawyers among 6 full time employees and 30 Board members, plus is hiring a 7th staff member currently. While the Virginia chapter is also overwhelmed with potential cases, it has its own local funding in the bank to be capable of carrying multiple cases to the US Supreme Court, even before asking for national help it has available, and operates a state level separate educational foundation as does the ACLU nationally. In contrast, other states without the long history of active civil rights work can now find national ACLU backing beyond that previously available, and it seems, find people trained by headquarters available to assist or even move in to convert inadequate local operations to serious public interest law collectives helping people trapped in oppressive closets eventually be able to live openly.
Find More info -- HERE
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| South Carolina | May 8th. at 10:27:37 pm EDT
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Winddragon (anderson, South Carolina) - Email Me
"S.C. : First to secede, last to succeed". My words. I'm a native here although I've lived in NYC, Virginia, N.C., and Japan. S.C. is geographically beautiful country but I can't say much for most of the people. Even the educated people here are stupid rednecks. Go figure. I came back for family but I regret it now and I'm planning my own exit strategy, most likely to V.A.. I teach my kids to respect others no matter their differences. My family doesn't fit so well. The ACLU can't win here. These people will lie, cheat, and steal for Jesus because it's the godly thing to do. I can go on beeyatching but I should pinch it off here before I get to the Anderson City Council...
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| ACLU | May 8th. at 2:21:29 pm EDT
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foreverknightfan (Dardanelle, Arkansas) - Email Me
First off about ACLU and NAMBLA. If you actually do some research the ACLU defended NAMBLA's free PRESS rights, not their intent to molest boys.
Secondly as Pagans and other Non-Christians, when our civil rights are vioated, who can we turn to for legal help? The ACLJ? Guess who founded that group and ever seen any of THEM defend minority religions?
Larry Flint had a good point. If you despise what he does and you let his civil rights be violated, it lessens your own freedoms. I don't agree with some of what the ACLU has done but it's really nice to have someone like them on your side when you need help.
It's like when lawyer Gerry Spence defended Randy Weaver. Spence didn't like Weaver's racism and anti-semitism, but he saw how unjustly Weaver was treated and thought it was his duty to defend the man.
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| Sorry, But. . . | May 8th. at 7:48:32 am EDT
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Dynnys Derwydd (Lubbock, Texas) - Email Me
. . .while I support the main ideals behing the ACLU I cannot continence any organization that backs NAMBLA, the North Amercian Man-Boy Love Association.
So personally I could care less if the national organization takes over the state ACLU.
BTW, before anyone decides to attack me realize that I am a survivor of sexual abuse. So no wonder I cannot stand NAMBLA or any organization that supports them.
Fight with knowledge, not in ignorance.
honi soit qui mal y pense,
Dynnys Derwydd
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| ... | May 7th. at 7:24:32 pm EDT
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Draken (Bronx, New York) - Email Me - Web
Good. Maybe it'll pose as a barrier to the fundies who want to turn SC into an "Official Christianist State™."
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