The former head of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) blasted the organization for failing to defend free speech by cherry-picking cases that don't offend or threaten other civil liberties.
Ira Glasser, who served as executive director of the ACLU from 1978 to 2001, said the organization that has defended free speech by unsavory groups like Neo-Nazis has turned into a 'partisan progressive' group.
'Before they're going to defend your free speech, they want to see what you say,' said Glasser during an appearance on Friday's episode of 'Real Time' with Bill Maher. 'What is the ACLU doing saying that?'
Glasser told Maher that the organization produced new guidelines a couple of years ago 'for their lawyers to use when deciding what free speech cases to take.'
'This is a requirement now for the national ACLU employers, that before they take a case defending someone’s free speech they have to make sure that the speech doesn’t offend or threaten other civil liberties values.'
read more:
Replies