Neil Munro of National Journal sends
along a story he just wrote for the magazine (alas, the piece is not
available online) which is largely about the ACLU’s lack of interest in
pursuing some civil liberties cases when they conflict with the
organization’s devotion to diversity. Here’s the part from the National
Journal story that echoes what Cmdr. Flynn said earlier today:
ACLU officials also argue that extending police powers, even during a war
on terrorism, is a grave threat. “I reject the idea that we need to make
concessions,” (ACLU director Tony) Romero said. “It’s a Faustian bargain.”
Still, recognizing that a public backlash against the ACLU’s efforts to
protect civil liberties could follow any terrorist strike on U.S. soil, the
ACLU is upping its national education campaign, he said.
US Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson’s 1949 observation — “The
Constitution is not a suicide pact” — comes to mind. Flynn is right: if
another 9/11 or worse happens, people who parrot the dangerous nonsense
coming from the ACLU will be widely ignored. And that’s too bad, because if
they would just admit now that the situation we’re in justifies some
limitations on civil liberties, they’d buy themselves a lot of credibility
in the event of a panic-inducing catastrophe.