NYT,pg1: Rift Emerges at A.C.L.U. on 2 Big Issues

[DeepModem Mom]

Rift Emerges at A.C.L.U. on 2 Big Issues
By STEPHANIE STROM
Published: December 8, 2005


....Since (Anthony D.) Romero stepped into the job just four days before the Sept. 11 attacks, the A.C.L.U. has been transformed. Under his watch, membership and revenues have risen sharply. The use of data to maximize contributions has become more sophisticated. Big donors have been wooed and won. At the group's first membership conference in Washington in 2003, 1,500 members descended on Congressional offices.

But Mr. Romero has also become a lightning rod, with a band of vociferous internal critics saying that civil liberties are not his top concern. They have seized on his failure to inform the board about a settlement with the New York attorney general over privacy breaches on its Web site and his signing of a government fund-raising agreement that the organization later renounced. In both cases, they say, Mr. Romero was not entirely forthcoming even after those controversies came to light.

There have been heated boardroom exchanges and an unusual number of resignations from the board. Dissidents say Mr. Romero is ignoring the A.C.L.U.'s traditions, of encouraging dissent; threatening its core principles, like free speech, and too often acting without the full knowledge and support of the board, which is supposed to guide him.

"I think there is an ideological difference among board members having to do with pure principle versus the pragmatism of money," Ms. Esman said, echoing current and past board members.

The internal friction has roiled the organization, which is unaccustomed to scrutiny of its operations, and prompted members of the executive committee to try to limit access to recordings of board meetings....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/08/national/08aclu.html?pagewanted=all

[Toots]

1. The Slime has infiltrated ACLU

They are like cockroaches, they get into everything and not much will harm them. We need a super big can of Raid for Republicans.

[Coastie for Truth]

2. The last time there was this much internal controversy

was in the 1970's - with "Skokie" and also the "Mini-Bakke's" around the country.

[leveymg]

3. These issues don't seem to be fundamental, like loyalty oaths in 1950 were

This is just a bit of internal wrangling and power playing that got into the open. It hardly makes me think the ACLU is on the verge of some tectonic split.

Quite to the contrary. I'd say its the Federalist Society which should be doing some deep, deep soul-searching about now, as its time in the sun seems to be passing. Dusk approaches.

[AX10]

4. Civil Liberties protection is one of the main reasons...

the ACLU exists.

[Miss Chybil]

5. Isn't there a bigger, more alarming, rift going on somwhere else?

Namely, IRAQ!!!! I suppose this journalist isn't allowed to write about that.

[ismnotwasm]

6. Hmm

The article was a little difficult to follow. He has "general" board support, but he has critics on the board that refer the media to the ACLU public relations? He's admittedly fucked up a few times, and he's an aggressive money raiser? I don't know much about this guy, but he sounds like he's trying to consolidate ACLU to be as effective as possible and less vulnerable to attack when a controversial position is taken by not having to rely on particular donors.

Money, and the raising of it always seems to cause problems, I can see why the ACLU wants to remain as impartial and independent as possible of course and follow what they stand for.

Without knowing more,(I admit ignorance!) the general tone of the article sounds like a smear tactic.
Think I'll go visit ACLU on-line and see what's up.

[IndianaGreen]

7. Sack Romero!

I am one of those dues-paying ACLU members and I am sick and tired of those that sacrifice principle for money, whether we speak of the ACLU or political parties.

[Voltaire99]

8. My thoughts, too.

The breach between "pure principle versus the pragmatism of money" describes a party we all know and love--or used to, anyway.