TexasCHLforum.com

I hope this isn't a duplicate thread

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/news/ar ... 03286.html

“All legal residents have a right to life, and they still have a right to defend themselves,” Lautenschlager said. “Individuals caught in this quandary should be recognized. They haven’t yielded their rights by breaking any laws.”

Interesting coming from the ACLU

chasfm11 wrote:I hope this isn't a duplicate thread

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/news/ar ... 03286.html

“All legal residents have a right to life, and they still have a right to defend themselves,” Lautenschlager said. “Individuals caught in this quandary should be recognized. They haven’t yielded their rights by breaking any laws.”

Interesting coming from the ACLU

Yes it is. Let's see if it spreads.

Wow, maybe the ACLU is finally deciding the become what they claim to be (about civil liberties, all of them). Thumbs up to them for this.

Tristor wrote:Wow, maybe the ACLU is finally deciding the become what they claim to be (about civil liberties, all of them). Thumbs up to them for this.

I think the ACLU is about whatever gives them the most press coverage in their favor for the moment. They don't seem to have any underlying morals, just whatever the hot button topic is, can they spin it in their favor, run with it...

That being said, we can use all the help we can get, even if it is from the ACLU...

Interesting.

When I was in high school I really liked the ACLU, because I agree with their professed mission of protecting individual liberties for all, even if others find the exercise of those liberties distasteful. Later, I discovered that the ACLU was really focused on protecting certain liberties for certain groups. This bias is most evident when two groups want to exercise liberties that are in direct conflict (person A wants to exercise their free speech rights, and person B wants to be able to conduct their activities in peace, etc). They always choose the liberal side in these conflicts, and this really turned me off the group.

Its not often that a group like this surprises me. Maybe they are going back to their professed mission after all??? One can certainly hope.

I try to remember that the ACLU is made up of many chapters in various states, with members of varying ideologies and beliefs who contribute their time pro bono. The more liberal areas get the most press, because of the uproar they create. But remember that when that CHL guy in Houston was wrongfully arrested, the ACLU stepped up and took the lead in his defense.

I get "spam" from the aclu, and surveys ... I actually mention things on the surveys and return them (HOPING that they'll take up some "good" causes, and diver resources from the "not desirable waste of Court's time and my taxes" causes.)

A lawyer at the firm I worked at was one of the ACLU attorneys in Houston, but the other attorneys usually disagreed with him and his views, I disagree with "deception" or a stated purpose, but then working against that stated purpose.... so I don't send my $, just my opinions to them.

Wow, I am so surprised by this. I make the blanket assumption that the ACLU is only liberal and only takes up causes I'm not inclined to agree with. I thought this topic was going to be about the ACLU suing SD to stop some sort of CC, not the other way around. Pleasant surprise.

phrogg wrote:Wow, I am so surprised by this. I make the blanket assumption that the ACLU is only liberal and only takes up causes I'm not inclined to agree with. I thought this topic was going to be about the ACLU suing SD to stop some sort of CC, not the other way around. Pleasant surprise.

With my tin foil hat firmly in place and looking for conspiracy under every rock, this seems to be more of a thrust towards the rights of non-citizens than towards concealed carry or gun rights. I believe that the ACLU has an agenda and that they coordinate very well (as does the NRA) to further that agenda in places and ways that it makes sense. I also believe that they are very opportunistic and will ride the rising sentiment toward the 2nd amendment while they can, hoping to deal it a death blow later. All of us realize that it would only take a couple of changes on the Supreme Court to allow an ACLU push towards a gun ban.

I see the SD situation with the ACLU as neither good nor bad. I'll let the better thinkers at the NRA make those judgments. As Andy C points out, they have backed pro-gun action in the past on occasion. I just thought it might be a worthy topic to bat around on this forum on an otherwise slow news day.

I couldn't help but be struck by the irony of a British citizen fighting for the right to carry a concealed weapon in the US when, if he returned home, those same rights would be completely out of the question.

AndyC wrote:Well, let's remember the good work that the Texas ACLU in particular has done - they threw their weight behind the change in law a few years ago to allow folks to carry their firearms in their cars, for example.

Those must be rogue elements of the ACLU.

baldeagle wrote:I couldn't help but be struck by the irony of a British citizen fighting for the right to carry a concealed weapon in the US when, if he returned home, those same rights would be completely out of the question.

Amazing, isn't it?

AndyC wrote:Well, let's remember the good work that the Texas ACLU in particular has done - they threw their weight behind the change in law a few years ago to allow folks to carry their firearms in their cars, for example.

Correct. The Texas ACLU co-authored a report with TSRA titled "Above the Law" that strongly supported the Motorist Protection Act (HB1815 in 2007). In fact, it was this report that saved the bill when, guess who, Rep. Lon Burnam raised a point of order against HB1815 on the House floor. He withdrew it when he saw the ACLU report in the Bill sponsor's hand while standing at the Speaker's podium to argue the point of order. The point of order would have been sustained and there was not enough time to send it back to committee to fix the caption.

Strange bed fellows to be sure, but in that instance, it was a winning combination.

Chas.

I'm always fascinated to get those peeks behind the curtain, thanks Charles