American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) defending the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).
Living in a free society is a benefit as well detraction. In our country the First Amendment of the constitution gives us freedom of speech. However this right to free speech comes with the sacrifice of having to hear opinions that are repugnant to the majority. So we have the incongruous situation, like oil and water, of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) defending the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). The ACLU defends our First Amendment right to free speech, as well as our other rights. The ACLU goes to court to fight those who would deny us these rights. Interestingly enough, it is usually the same government, which has given us these rights that tries to take them away. The ACLU defends free speech for all people and organizations no matter what their message or how reprehensible their views might be. "The ACLU believes that the constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech and press would be meaningless if the government could pick and choose the persons to whom these rights apply," said Chris Ahmuty, Executive Director of the ACLU of Wisconsin. The KKK is trying to deny constitutional rights to minorities. This is what the A
If the ACLU did not defend the KKK's First Amendment rights, the ACLU would endanger the First Amendment by allowing the selection of what can and can not be heard. Still today the government tries to prevent the KKK from speaking. In April of 1997, about 50 KKK members and assorted other right wing groups held a rally in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the end of the rally, Jeff Barry, introduced as a National Wizard, thanked the ACLU saying, "They are all a bunch of Jews, but what can I say? This is America." The KKK has twisted the intent of the First Amendment to spread their hate, and even used one of their biggest adversaries in their defense, then insulted them with racial slurs but that is their right to freedom of speech that the ACLU has defended for them. "It's a no-brainer to take this case in the sense of the First Amendment principle. Did I want this case? Did I want to receive that phone call?" He told a group of protesters outside his office "Hell no, but once it came , it was a no-brainer." In defense of representing the KKK in New York, the ACLU's Norman Siegel says, "The Klan however repugnant deserv
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Approximate Word count = 770
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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