Time to Become a Card-Carrying Member

by publius

I'm still digesting the torture memos and commentary, but Glenn speaks the truth here:

Finally, it should be emphasized -- yet again -- that it was not our Congress, nor our media, nor our courts that compelled disclosure of these memos.  Instead, it was the ACLU's tenacious efforts over several years which single-handedly pried these memos from the clutched hands of the government.  Along with a couple of other civil liberties organizations, the ACLU (with which I consult) has expended extraordinary efforts to ensure at least minimal amounts of openness and transparency in this country, something that was necessary given the profound failures of these other institutions to do so.

Pretty much.  And you can join here.  Reward good behavior.

Comments

[BlizzardOfOz]

Just joined... amazing when you reflect on how useless our media and elected officials are.

[bad Jim]

Just renewed, belatedly.

It's been asserted that the ACLU only recently started sending out membership cards. Not so. My mother has a couple from the 1960's. The Southern California branch separated from the national organization at one point, refusing to truckle to Congressional investigators, but I don't know what relevance that might have to the provenance of her cards.

[Jesurgislac]

I started donating to the ACLU when it became clear that they were doing a far better job of protecting the rights of the British citizens and residents in Guantanamo Bay than my own damn government was.

In appreciation and gratitude.

[Brett Bellmore]

"Instead, it was the ACLU's tenacious efforts over several years which single-handedly pried these memos from the clutched hands of the government."

Single handedly? Really, I don't much like Obama, but this is certainly unfair to him: The change of administration must have had something to do with the memos being released by the new administration.

[cleek]

i carry my card.

when i whip it out and show it to my wingnut friends, they look at it like it's an evil talisman, maybe printed on the skin of sacrificed infants with mothers' blood for ink.

[MandyW]

Thanks for the reminder to donate (which I just did).

As Brett Bellmore noted, "single-handedly" probably is a small overstatement, but the actions of the ACLU certainly created an environment that made it easier for Obama to direct his new administration to do the right thing.

[dmbeaster]

"single-handedly" -- I like his stuff, but Glenn can never resist that extra dollop of hyperbole. Funny how you substitute a phrase like "essential role of the ACLU" in its place and convey the same meaning without the dissonance.

Thanks for the link to support the ACLU -- this has got me to do it.

[tgirsch]

It's not time to join the ACLU. It's way PAST time to join, if you haven't already. I became a card-carrying member in 2000, before W was elected. They do things to piss me off from time to time, but the good far outweighs the bad.

[Parhelion]

Even though I am about as politically active as your typical overweight house cat, I joined several years back when it became obvious - at least, to me - what sorts of things the previous administration was up to.

Sometimes the ACLU annoys me. Good: that's doing their job. Both their afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted is proper evidence that joining was one of the best investments I ever made.

[Nell]

If you can't support the ACLU financially, or you already do, consider signing their petition to Attorney General Holder to name a special counsel to investigate those who authorized and "legalized" torture for prosecution.

Holder and Obama shouldn't need the prodding, since they are under a positive obligation to act, but they're apparently in such deep reflection that they've lost track of what the law requires.