It was on this day in 1920 that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was founded.
My mom used to work for the ACLU decades ago. Every now and again, on days when I did not have school, she would take me (and sometimes both my brother and I) there. It was in New York City, and so it was exciting.
As I grew older and learned more about the ACLU specifically, I grew more and more impressed with what they stood for. To this day, it makes me proud that she worked for them, especially in those days of seemingly overwhelming political indifference and silence.
During the 1988 presidential debate, the ACLU was thrust into the spotlight when Republican George H.W. Bush accused Democratic nominee of being a card-carrying member of the ACLU. As if that is something to be ashamed of.
In fact, I am still a proud supporter of the ACLU. And today, on this anniversary of it's founding, it seems more urgent than ever to appreciate and, if you can, support it. After all, if you want a glimpse of a scary world where people act in a manner suggesting that they do not respect or care about the Constitution, all you have to do is turn on your television.
Let's all give a hand to the ACLU.
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