ACLU to open its first office in state
Correction appended
The American Civil Liberties Union is opening an office in Charleston next week.
The location at 12 Exchange St. and the timing of the opening ceremony were planned to highlight the organization's mission, Interim Executive Director Graham Boyd said Thursday.
The Wednesday ribbon cutting is two days before Independence Day. The ceremony will be at the Old Exchange Building on East Bay Street, where South Carolina leaders ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1788.
"It symbolizes our mission, which is to defend the Constitution," Boyd said. "A lot of organizations raise their money by trying to vilify the ACLU, and that's fine if that's what works for them."
The organization had an affiliate office in Columbia that closed earlier this year; the new location will be the first national office in the state.
Boyd was the lead lawyer representing the families of students at Stratford High School who said their civil rights were violated when Goose Creek police officers swooped in looking for drugs and confronted students in the hallways with drawn guns in 2003.
The new ACLU staff will start by holding a dozen town meetings around the state and conducting a Web survey to find out what people think is important, Boyd said.
Boyd was born in Charleston and grew up in Spartanburg. He will stay in Charleston until a staff and new director are hired, then return to his office in Santa Cruz, Calif.
The ribbon-cutting will be at 2 p.m. and will include Charleston Mayor Joe Riley and other community leaders.
Reach Dave Munday at 745-5862 or dmunday@ postandcourier.com.
Editor's note: Earlier versions of this story gave the wrong address for the new office and were unclear about the ACLU's previous presence in the state. The Post and Courier regrets the errors.
E-mail this story
Printer-friendly version
Comments
ForPnC (anonymous) says...
I've been a member of the ACLU for several years. I don't agree with numerous issues they're working with but there are more that I'm happy for. What organization is perfect?
June 27, 2008 at 4:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
blueline (anonymous) says...
Why don't they just use the same building as the Planned Parenthood at Rutledge and Cannon?
June 27, 2008 at 6:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lillycollette (anonymous) says...
Quote: "The new ACLU staff will start by holding a dozen town meetings around the state and conducting a Web survey to find out what people think is important, Boyd said."
Damn if these people don't NEED to talk with me.
(Yeah-like that's going to happen.)
June 27, 2008 at 6:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
number1volsfan1 (anonymous) says...
ACLU should house itself next to the new Planned Parenthood office. They can scheme more ways to legally kill infants.
June 27, 2008 at 7:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Riptide (anonymous) says...
Well since the ACLU did such a great job on California, New York, Massachusetts and others why not South Carolina. Here is an organization, the legal arm of the liberal democrats that is devoted to the destruction of the free enterprise system, the family and removing Christianity from our lives. This is a happy day for liberals in South Carolina.
This organization was founded by Roger Baldwin a life long socialist/Marxist and William Z. Foster presidential candidate for the Communist Party USA in 1928 and 1932. Ruth Bader Ginsberg a Supreme Court Justice was the chief counsel for the ACLU and also voted against our 2nd amendment rights. Get ready South Carolina, things are going to get a lot worst from here on in.
June 27, 2008 at 7:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
NativeSon (anonymous) says...
Communist party, socialist marxists - sounds to me like the democrat party (not democratic party) as they would have you believe.
June 27, 2008 at 8:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
shoelaces (anonymous) says...
Mouth of the South......You took the words right out of my mouth....There goes the neighborhood. Then again, I think it's been gone for quite awhile.
Anybody pay attention to the street? Liberty Street?? What a coincidence - doubt it.
Uphold the Constitution!!!! Really? Exactly which country's constitution are they upholding? They do not speak for me.
June 27, 2008 at 8:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theronce (anonymous) says...
WOW! ACLU and PP, together, thanks. We're finally getting some concrete help to move us out of the gutter into the brave new world (or is that the new world order) by severing our ties to the Constitution, family, selfish self-reliance, religion, and conscience. Free of these archaic ideas, we will be free to bow to the wishes of the government of our friends and neighbors and live forever in peace and good will. Look out, USA. SC is preparing to rise from the bottom of your lists. It's exciting to imagine no more accidents, being protected from anything harmful. Exhilerating to be able to live without having to worry about the government, since the government will protect me from all harm and misfortune.
June 27, 2008 at 8:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
onevoice (anonymous) says...
ACLU - ALL CROOKED LAWYERS UNITED
June 27, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
desspec (anonymous) says...
They're going to defend the Constitution by finding out what people think is important? Sounds like they are going on the attack.
June 27, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scienceguy (anonymous) says...
The ACLU is often awarded fees when it wins cases. It is moving into South Carolina because our Legislature insists on passing unconstitutioanal legislation, thereby making the State fertile ground for fee-generating litigation. So when our taxes shoot up, don't blame the ACLU--blame the Legislature for passing the unconstitutional laws.
June 27, 2008 at 8:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
keepinitreal (anonymous) says...
This is just another nail in our coffin. You think you got mad just a couple days ago with the Supreme Court's decision? Add this to the list of organizations to watch out for.
June 27, 2008 at 9 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Riptide (anonymous) says...
NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association) is an organization of pedophiles. This organization was defended by the ACLU. Is it any wonder why we have a problem with pedophiles in our society with the likes of the ACLU defending them. From illegal aliens, gun rights issues, property rights issues, gay marriage to taking Christianity out of lives, the ACLU is there destroying everything we hold sacred. Pretty soon we'll all be on the liberal plantation bowing to our liberal commissars and you won't be able to tell the different between San Francisco and Charleston.
June 27, 2008 at 9:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
algorelost (anonymous) says...
ACLU is only concerned with defending chil rapist. Just look at how they defend Nambla in Massachutes.
June 27, 2008 at 9:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Riptide (anonymous) says...
Scienceguy:
The theory of scientific socialism:wasn't that advanced by Karl Marx?
More junk science.
June 27, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
shoelaces (anonymous) says...
IF the ACLU comes here to stop unfair / illegal legislation from being passed that might be OK. But let's face it, the types of cases they usually take - or that get the most press - are mainly helping IDIOTS get their way on ridiculous types of lawsuits. Not everyone who poses a lawsuit deserves to have it heard. And I don't want to pay for it.
ACLU is more like "junk" politics.
June 27, 2008 at 9:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
keepinitreal (anonymous) says...
Riptide_
Yeah, they help in defending homosexuals who want to join and be leaders of our boy scouts too.
Thursday, June 26, 2008 Broadcast of Wallbuilders.org on WKCL Radio at 6:30pm. Go to the site and listen.
Philadelphia Kicking Boy Scouts Out of Their Own Building
Guest: Diane Gramley, Pennsylvania Family Association
Summary and Links
Summary:
David Barton, Rick Green, and Diane Gramley from the Pennsylvania Family Association discuss the attempt of the city of Philadelphia to take away a building built by the Boy Scouts of America.
Scout Oath (or Promise)
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
Guess which two parts of the oath homosexuals would have a problem upholding.
June 27, 2008 at 9:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Riptide (anonymous) says...
Keepinitreal:
To be honest, I think they would have a problem with the entire oath.
If one wanted to destroy a culture from within, I can't think of a better organization than the ACLU. Well I got to go to work now so I can pay my taxes.
June 27, 2008 at 9:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
drp7773 (anonymous) says...
Kiss your Christmas goodbye, kiss your religion goodbye, kiss your boyscouts goodbye, get ready for free rapes of your children, kiss all the morals and common sense that was left goodbye, you will be up to your yang yang in lawsuits, scare tactics and inmoral justice but hey the liberal judges will fit right in huh...look out Dot, the real haters are on the way. SC has come a longggg way babyyyyyyyyyy. NOTTTTTTTT
June 27, 2008 at 9:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
coolfreaknbeans (anonymous) says...
Riptide -I was about to point out that very fact.I'd be damned if I'd ever support an organization that supports/defends NAMBLA.With the ACLU in town we can kiss goodbye our Christmas decorations on King st.I'd love to organize an ACLU protest.They are the bottom of the barrel pieces of ultra liberal crap.
June 27, 2008 at 11:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lowcountrylover (anonymous) says...
OH!!!!! JUST WHAT CHARLESTON NEEDS. MORE LAWYERS.
June 27, 2008 at 12:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bkeelin (anonymous) says...
Don't be too worried about the Anti Christian Liberty Union. They have lost almsot every case they have brought in the last couple of years concerning the Christmas decorations and other religious liberties. The 4th US circuit court of appeals is very conservative and is not likely to side with these anti American socialists. There is a group out there called The Alliance Defense Fund and they have been beating the ACLU like a drum at every turn so when these America haters walking around draped in a name like a wolf in sheeps clothing try to jump out and attack just remember their bark is much worse than there sniping little bite.
If the federal government didn't fund them to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, like they fund planned unparenthood, they would just fold up and fade away. Another dissappointment from President Bush.
June 27, 2008 at 2:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JohnS (anonymous) says...
Mexicans will need somewhere to go once the new worker law takes affect in Jan 2009.
June 27, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
coolfreaknbeans (anonymous) says...
Wow JohnS.You have a point.They'll have a banner out front in spanish.So all of the illegals can flock there like flies on crap.Ugh.
June 27, 2008 at 8:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MP (anonymous) says...
ACLU - American Criminal Lover's Union
June 27, 2008 at 9:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BillytheKid (anonymous) says...
We have that "work" of art in office now,(Bush) and the ACLU is a unit that will do damage to us.
I give them my dollar, as soon as I have a mailing address and a dollar.
June 28, 2008 at 4:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Riptide (anonymous) says...
Bekeelin:
For years I was always been under the impression that ACLU was for the little guy and fought for the civil rights of the common man. Not true. They have a clear cut agenda that doesn't deviate from their Marxist goals. Years ago I was in a lawsuit over property rights and I almost lost everything I ever work for in life. I come from humble beginnings and I had to work and save for everything I have. Don't let these leftist lawyers kid you, they are just as greedy and money hungry as any lawyer that ever came down the pike. It wasn't until years later after the lawsuit that I found out that both my lawyer and the plaintiff's lawyer were members of the ACLU. The worst thing about this lawsuit, if I was in a different county in the state I was living in, I wouldn't have been sued. The ACLU is the Formosa termite of our culture.
I'll look up the Alliance Defense and make a contribution. What's the old saying:a conservative is only a democrat that has been mugged.
June 28, 2008 at 6:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Postandcourier.com is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Postandcourier.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.
Users can now build user-to-user connections, follow friends' recent posts, add an avatar that fits their personality, and more. If you have posted here before you'll need to sign up again, or if you've never posted before, start now by signing up!
Full terms and conditions can be read here.