Pubdate: Wed, 29 May 2002
Source: Logan Banner, The (WV)
Copyright: 2002 The Logan Banner
Contact:  http://www.loganbanner.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1640
Author:  J.D. Charles, Staff Writer

ACLU MEMBERS DISCUSS UNPOPULAR STANCES

LOGAN, W.Va. -- A lot of people in southern West Virginia have major 
disagreements with the ACLU and thanks to a local attorney they got to 
confront two representatives and hear just why one of the most hated and 
controversial groups in America does what it does.

Andrew Snyder, the executive director of the West Virginia branch of the 
American Civil Liberties Union discussed his organization's role in 
protecting unpopular stands on controversial issues as a special guest 
speaker at the Kiwanis Club of Logan.

On May 23 local attorney Bob Noone introduced Snyder and WV ACLU Board 
Member Cameron McKinney by pointing out that there are few groups in 
America as hated, disliked and maligned as the ACLU, which many people 
refer to as "The Anti-Christian Lawyers Union" and "The American Criminal 
Lovers Union."

"When there is something controversial, you often hear the name ACLU 
attached to it," Noone said.

"We are called the American Criminal Lobbyists Union and worse," Snyder 
admitted, pointing out that the ACLU's role is to defend the freedoms set 
down in the U.S. Constitution, even though many of those freedoms can at 
times be controversial.

"We got our start in West Virginia in the 1920's defending workers who came 
to us because they could not join the unions," Snyder said, pointing out 
that early labor leaders in what was to become a strong pro-labor state 
were branded as communists.

Snyder discussed one of the most controversial topics in the state today, 
the separation of church and state, saying that BOE vs Barnett case 
involved two Jehovahs' Witnesses students kicked out of school because 
their religion forbade them to pledge allegiance to the flag.

"It was mind boggling to ACLU members because of the diverse religious 
beliefs in our nation that somebody could be kicked out of school for their 
own religious beliefs," Snyder said, pointing out that even though 
conservative fundamentalist Christian types generally despise the ACLU even 
they have come to it for help on occasion when their own religious rights 
get trampled on.

Snyder said recently long time Jerry Fallwell critic came around when he 
found out that state law in West Virginia forbids churches to own more than 
a certain amount of land. This archaic law has kept some churches from 
being able to expand their property.

"Sooner or later, everybody needs the ACLU," Snyder said, claiming that 
many of the attacks on the organization are frivolous and political in 
nature. Snyder pointed out a law passed in Utah in 1991 that made abortion 
a crime punishable by death as an example.

"Our case load is so diverse," he said pointing to other examples including 
a West Virginia student expelled from school for protesting the war; an 
elderly man arrested because he was deaf and could not understand a police 
officer who gave him a speeding ticket; students at WVU who were pulled 
over, handcuffed and forced face down on the ground even though they were 
not suspects and were not arrested; and a case where people were stopped 
from attending a pro-marijuana rally by the West Virginia State Police.

Snyder pointed out that while the ACLU has filed lawsuits against school 
districts and local governments that post the 10 Commandments in public 
buildings, it would support a student who wore a t-shirt that had the 10 
Commandments on them were they to be dispelled, because the law prohibits 
the government from trying to establish state religions, not individuals 
practicing their own religion.

Cameron McKinney, who is a practicing attorney, said that for every case 
the ACLU accepts it turns down about 40.

"We get people who come to us who want to file a suit saying space aliens 
implanted embryos in their fallopian tubes," admitted Snyder.
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