# Wheres The Damn ACLU When You Need Them! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 16, 2003, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-damn-aclu-when-you-need-them/201929 "2003-09-16T12:47:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-damn-aclu-when-you-need-them/201929/61 "2003-09-17T21:17:15Z")
> [@](#): > > If it were the same guy who was getting all this shit for putting a rainbow banner in his front window, most of us liberals would be screaming for blood. And that reaction would be just as wrong-headed as the rally 'round the flag boys shit coming out of Tallahassee. > [@](#): > > All I can say is that the general idea of having to agree to others’ stipulations in order to do what you want on your own property (within reason … I don’t think you should be able do hang dead neighborhood cats from your tree or shit like that) is abhorrant to me. But what if I find hanging dead cats from my trees to be aesthetically pleasing? Assuming they pose no health risks (I taxidermied them before hanging them) why should your sense of what is or isn’t tasteful prevail? Logically, you should be agitating in favor of people wanting to hang dead cats in their trees. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-damn-aclu-when-you-need-them/201929/62 "2003-09-17T21:25:17Z")
Hell, “zoning” regulations occur in many communities, too, regulating all sorts of activities one might want to engage in on one’s own property. You buy a house in a residential neighborhood, and just try and run your own junkyard business from the back yard and see how far you’ll get. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-damn-aclu-when-you-need-them/201929/63 "2003-09-17T21:27:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Otto \* > \*\*Logically, you should be agitating in favor of people wanting to hang dead cats in their trees. \*\* As long as it’s not my formerly alive cat, knock yourself out. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-damn-aclu-when-you-need-them/201929/64 "2003-09-17T23:04:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Batty \* > **If it were the same guy who was getting all this shit for putting a rainbow banner in his front window, most of us liberals would be screaming for blood.** This liberal wouldn’t. Except now with the exception that’s been codified by Florida law, where _certain_ speech is protected based on content, which is a troublesome bit of legislation. Minus that, based on the homeowner rules, it doesn’t matter if he’s hanging the Stars and Stripes, Stars and Bars, or the freakin’ Jolly Roger in his yard. He signed a contract. End of debate. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-damn-aclu-when-you-need-them/201929/65 "2003-09-17T23:35:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DanielWithrow \* > \*\*I wonder how this guy expects to succeed: will he invalidate all homeowner’s agreements? Will it be legal for me to paint the outside of my house with pictures of nekkid people, to put rusty car sculptures in my yard as commentary on late-industrial society, to play foul-mouthed music over my speakers? > > \*\* Dear Lord in heaven, we beseech thee to bring this to pass. HOA’s are pure consentrated evil. Anything that weakens them is a good thing ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-damn-aclu-when-you-need-them/201929/66 "2003-09-18T00:01:33Z")
Now that we’ve succeeded in highjacking this into a Home Owners’ Association rant, I see the points being made about ACLU’s sphere of expertise, and I understand. I concede that this particular case is not something the ACLU should bother with – if as it was stated, this is a bitch between two private parties. But I stand by my sentiment that the ACLU could stand to champion other causes besides liberal pet causes. That is, I believe, the general perception of ACLU, and I think that’s bad. I consider the ACLU a very important organization which gets a bad rap from a lot of people (mostly conservatives). All I’m saying is they don’t seem to want to help themselves away from that perception very often. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-damn-aclu-when-you-need-them/201929/67 "2003-09-18T04:05:05Z")
[http://www.theonion.com/onion3211/acludefends.html](http://www.theonion.com/onion3211/acludefends.html) Obligatory Onion link. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Raven\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@The\_Raven\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven_1)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-damn-aclu-when-you-need-them/201929/68 "2003-09-18T05:06:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Batty \* > \*\*I don’t know if the ACLU was called, or if they even know about this situation, but _if_ they do wouldn’t it be keen for them to back this guy. For one thing, then the uber-right-wingers would have a leg kicked out from under them on the pinko-red-commie-ACLU arguments. \*\* Yep… Uh-huh… I’ll be the one _not_ holding my breath… 🙂 -Rav ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-damn-aclu-when-you-need-them/201929/69 "2003-09-18T05:12:45Z")
> [@](#): > > But I stand by my sentiment that the ACLU could stand to champion other causes besides liberal pet causes. That is, I believe, the general perception of ACLU, and I think that’s bad. The ACLU has defended and continues to defend Nazis, Klan members, white supremacists, fundamentalist Christians and others who can hardly be looked upon as any liberal’s pet. Try reading some more about the ACLU (and join up if you’re not already a member) so that the next time someone pops off about how all the ACLU does is champion pet liberal causes you’ll be better equipped to fight that particular brand of ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-damn-aclu-when-you-need-them/201929/70 "2003-09-18T10:59:13Z")
This is so fucking stupid. The government has summarily nullified contracts among peaceful consenting adults just so some jackass can wave his rah-rah rag. Damn. Just plain damn. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-damn-aclu-when-you-need-them/201929.md?page=3)