The Role of the ACLU

I am sure that there is a segment of Americans that is vexed with the ACLU right now, but the ACLU serves a vital role which every democracy needs.

Democracy, by default, means majority rule. But majority rule does not always mean making the best decisions.

In a representative democracy, the representatives do not always do exactly what their constituents want, and they usually pay more attention to their supporters than to those who voted for their opponents.  This marginalizes the minority.

Given this dynamic, every society needs a voice to challenge the dominant ideas, in effect to say "you may think that's a good idea, but it's not." In the United States, the way to challenge bad decision-making by governmental operatives is in the courts.

This is the mission of the ACLU, to challenge governmental actions that run counter to the constitution and relevant laws and regulations.  To work "...in the nation's courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve individual working rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and the laws of the United States."

Sometimes I think that the ACLU is off base, but more often I respect them for challenging the "group think" of officialdom and majority rule, and for testing the limits of majority rule overriding individual rights.