-=> Quoting Dave Appel to Paul Nixon on 06-10-96  18:16 <=-
 Re: More on hunting Senators
 PN>El Paso attorney Michael Gibson is representing Saavedra on a pro bono
 PN>basis.  Margaret Crosby and Ann Brick, staff attorneys at the ACLU of
 PN>Northern California, are co-counsel for the defense.
 PN>"Americans have a long and proud tradition of criticizing their elected
 PN>officials in colorful language," Crosby noted.  "The Constitution 
rotects
 PN>Saavedra's harsh, satirical commentary.  We will urge the court to 
ismiss
 PN>this charge and to protect vivid political rhetoric in the newest public
 PN>square, cyberspace."
 DA> I sense a very large double standard in this.  The left has been
 DA> denouncing so-called "hate speech" by the right for years now. If
 DA> someone on the right had said "Let's kill so-and-so" where
 DA> so-and-so was a left-wing politician, would the ACLU have come to
 DA> their defense?
 DA> In fact, the 1994 Crime Act makes it a federal felony against a
 DA> speaker if a listener actually commits a violent crime after
 DA> hearing the so-called "incitement."
 DA> After hearing the left whine and cry about Limbaugh and Liddy and
 DA> other rightist talkers, who do not advocate violence, this
 DA> coddling of a leftist who *did* encourage violence is very
 DA> offensive to me.
Don't confuse the ACLU with left-wing politicians, Dave. They have a
history of defending unpopular causes "on the right" as well, such as the
KKK. There's a case which was made into a movie where a *black* ACLU
attorney defended a KKK member here in Texas, under much the same
rationale as Gerry Spence defending Weaver.
The ACLU was a staunch opponent of this year's Anti-Terrorism bill, and
some provisions of the Crime bill. Unlike the politicians who claim to be
on our side...
So yes, they would defend a "right-wing" person. Maybe not Rush, as he
has plenty of money and popularity. But if you were charged with sending
a threat to Schumer or Morris Dees under similar circumstances, they
would defend you.
Steve
... Freedom is expensive, but worth it!
 * Blue Wave/QWK v2.12 *
--- GOMail v1.1 [92-0793]
---------------