Principles prevail sometimes

The ACLU said:

On March 18, the ACLU appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court to argue another free speech case of great significance. In this case, the ACLU represented the National Rifle Association (NRA) against government overreach and censorship. Some may have wondered why the ACLU was representing the NRA, since the ACLU clearly opposes the NRA on gun control and the role of firearms in society. In fact, we abhor many of the group’s goals, strategies, and tactics. So, the reality that we have joined forces, notwithstanding those disagreements, reflects the importance of the First Amendment principles at stake in this case.

The ACLU made the decision to represent the NRA in this case because we are deeply concerned that if regulators can threaten the NRA for their political views in New York state, they can come after the ACLU and allied organizations in places where our agendas are unpopular.

This gives me hope, when we see principles win out. The ACLU abhors the NRA but are fighting for them in court, because they believe Government shouldn’t be able to threaten you for your views.

Likewise am pleased in NZ where we saw the FSU defend the rights of libraries to have drag queen story time. I know quite a few FSU officers probably personally abhor the concept, but they put the principle first of not letting security concerns take away people’s right of free association.

It brings back the quote from Noam Chomsky:

“If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all”?

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