American Civil Liberties Union
From dKosopedia
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is the largest public interest law group in the United States. The ACLU has nearly 400,000 members and supporters and tries more than 6,000 court cases a year.
The goal of the ACLU is to protect American civil liberties as established in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Although often perceived as a left-leaning organization, the ACLU is non-partisan and works to protect liberties of all Americans, whether their political interest is Liberal, Conservative, moderate or indifferent.
The ACLU describes its mission as preserving the following protections and guarantees:
- First Amendment rights. Freedom of speech, association and assembly. Freedom of the press, and freedom of religion supported by the strict separation of church and state.
- Right to equal protection under the law. Equal treatment regardless of race, sex, religion or national origin.
- Right to due process. Fair treatment by the government whenever the loss of your liberty or property is at stake.
- Right to privacy. Freedom from unwarranted government intrusion into your personal and private affairs.
The ACLU also works to "extend rights to segments of our population that have traditionally been denied their rights, including Native Americans and other people of color; lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people; women; mental-health patients; prisoners; people with disabilities; and the poor."
The ACLU was founded in 1920 by Roger Baldwin, Crystal Eastman and Albert DeSilver.
The current (October 2006) ACLU leadership is as follows:
- Anthony Romero, Executive Director
- Dorothy M. Ehrlich, Deputy Executive Director
- Nadine Strossen, President
- Steven Shapiro, Legal Director
- Donna McKay, Director of Development
- Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the Washington Legislative Office
- Emily Tynes, Communications Director
- Geri E. Rozanski, Director of Affiliate Support
