From: harelb@math.cornell.edu (misc.activism.progressive co-moderator)
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
Subject: "Card-Carrying Member of the ACLU" (INTRO)
Date: 12 Jan 93 06:01:21 GMT
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Organization: ?
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu

"Card-Carrying Member of the ACLU" (INTRO)

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    "To hear George Bush and Dan Quayle tell it, the ACLU is a group
    of extremists"
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    "It is perhaps, therefore, a good time to ask ourselves what it
    all means, what it all meant; what was this all about, and why was
    George Bush attacking us [the ACLU] like that -and what do those
    attacks really mean; what lasting damage will they do, and to
    whom, and to what?"
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                  ==================================
                  "Card-Carrying Member of the ACLU"
                  ==================================
        [Or, some facts and history Bush forgot to mention in '88]
                  ==================================
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   -->  [Send the 1-line message GET ACLU HISTORY ACTIV-L to     ]
        [LISTSERV@UMCVMB.BITNET for a copy of this file.         ]
   -->  [Send GET ACTIV-L ARCHIVE ACTIV-L to above address for a ]
        [listing with brief descriptions of other files available]
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--> Transcription of cassette-recording of ACLU Director's speech
--> before National Press Club shortly BEFORE '88 election

[I thought Ira Glasser's speech was better on the cassette, and tried
to re-create the dramatic style with *emphasis*; if this bothers you, I
can email a copy of the speech =without= any such notation]


      Speech by Ira Glasser (ACLU national director), before the
        National Press Club, Washington, DC.  October 6, 1988.

    [I use *'s for *strong* emphasis, and = for =lighter= emphasis]
      [also, commas are sometimes used to indicate pauses, etc.]

                             Introduction
                            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
For several weeks now the American people have heard charges and
counter-charges surrounding an organization known as the A.C.L.U., the
American Civil Liberties Union. To hear George Bush and Dan Quayle
tell it, the ACLU is a group of extremists, who want to take God off
the currency, pull the Pledge of Allegiance from the classroom, and
permit children to attend X-rated movies. For Republicans, it's
sure-fire applause to note that Michael Dukakis is a, quote:
"Card-Carrying member of the ACLU." To hear Michael Dukakis and Loyd
Bentsen tell it, the ACLU stands for worthy ideals, even if it does
get carried away from time to time. And the Democrats fume that George
Bush is guilty of McCarthy-like tactics to imply that joining the ACLU
is somehow unpatriotic.

Well, to help us sort it all out, today we have with us someone who's
proud to be a card-carrying member of the ACLU, the organization's
executive director, Ira Glasser. While there may be a partisan debate
over ACLU specific positions, surely both Republicans and Democrats
treasure its professed ideals: to uphold the Constitution, to protect
the rights of all Americans, to defend the freedom of religion, the
freedom of speech, and the freedom of the press. Its devotion to those
ideals has led the ACLU to support positions across the political
spectrum; it has filed a brief in support of Lieutenant Col. Oliver
North, but fought against requiring youngsters to pledge allegiance to
the flag.

Despite the barbs of this Presidential campaign, our speaker today
does share at least one trait with George Bush: they both have long
resumes. Ira Glasser earned his Bachelors degree in Mathematics from
Queen's college in New York, and a Master's degree from Ohio State
University.  He has worked at a camp for blind and deaf adults as a
mathematics professor at Queen's college, and as a faculty member at
Sir Lawrence College. He has been a research associate at the
University of Illinois, written dozens of published articles, and been
editor of Current magazine. In 1967 Ira Glasser began working for the
New York Civil Liberties Union, and in 1978 became ACLU's national
executive director. Under his leadership, the ACLU has expanded its
financial base, and added membership; it now claims a quarter-million
card-carrying members. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Ira Glasser.

                              [Applause]
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                            [Ira Glasser:]

Here it is. This is the little piece of paper that you've been hearing
about that's caused all the trouble.  It's... I pulled it out of my
wallet where I had not seen it for some time, and somebody noticed
that it expires in October, 1988 and asked me if I was planning to
renew. I said "well... I'll see how this all turns out."

The truth is that alot of people have been calling up wanting to know
how they can get one of these. We have been getting more spontaneous
calls -- I mean thousands of people across the country in the space of
a few weeks -- calling up and asking how they can join the ACLU, in
numbers that are unlike anything we have ever received before in terms
of spontaneous requests.

I was thinking that if he needed a job after election day, I might
offer George Bush the position of Membership Director, since he has
seemed to be more successful than anyone else we've hired at giving us
what the media managers call "name recognition", and in generating
support. But he has done some other things also, which I will comment
on, that I think are quite dangerous.

It's also useful to note that at least five people that I know of have
sent in gift memberships for Mr. Bush, along with their own, and he
may be quite busy before the year is out in resigning as fast as they
come in.

I was interested to note, as I was waiting for the debate to end last
night so I could watch the Met game, I was interested to note that
they =did not= mention us last night, and it is perhaps true that this
episode is beginning to subside, and may even be over. It is perhaps,
therefore, a good time to ask ourselves what it all means, what it all
meant; what was this all about, and why was George Bush attacking us
like that -- and what do those attacks really mean; what lasting
damage will they do, and to whom, and to what?

[...continued...]
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive