November 19, 2025 - October Surprise 2016 - octobersurprise2016.org

#ACLU #Criticisms #FBI
What happened to the ACLU? –
The ACLU has been criticized for what some see as a shift in focus from a nonpartisan defense of civil liberties to a more partisan, politically aligned stance, particularly on issues of free speech and equality. This change includes new case selection guidelines that weigh the potential harm of certain speech, a departure from what critics describe as a former stance of First Amendment absolutism. However, the ACLU maintains it remains committed to protecting civil liberties for all, even as its critics and internal debates reflect a struggle to balance its mission with contemporary political challenges. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
Criticisms and concerns

Political alignment: Critics argue the organization has become more partisan and less nonpartisan, with a public persona and social media presence that weighs in on issues not strictly tied to civil liberties. [1, 2, 3]
Case selection guidelines: The ACLU has updated its case selection criteria, a change some see as a retreat from its long-standing defense of free speech for all viewpoints. New guidelines consider the potential harm of speech to marginalized groups and whether it impedes progress toward equality. [4, 5, 10]
Free speech defense: Some argue the ACLU is no longer a consistent champion of free speech, pointing to the shift in its guidelines as a move away from defending unpopular speech, though the organization disputes this claim. [1, 5, 6, 9]
Internal debate: There is internal disagreement within the organization about its identity and how to balance its core mission with progressive priorities. [9, 11, 12, 13]

ACLU’s response and perspective

Defending unpopular speech: The ACLU maintains it still defends the speech rights of those with whom it disagrees and continues to take on controversial cases, though its stated approach may have changed. [6, 7, 9]
Continued commitment: The organization argues it is still fighting to protect the rights guaranteed by the Constitution for everyone, regardless of politics, pointing to its ongoing work on various issues like voting rights, national security, and the rights of marginalized communities. [6, 7, 14, 15]
Adapting its mission: The ACLU asserts its mission is to protect civil liberties, which it argues is a constantly evolving goal. It frames its work as adapting to new challenges, such as the increasing importance of social media and political engagement, to advance the promise of the Constitution. [1, 7, 14, 16, 17, 18]

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] firstthings.com/what-happene…
[2] heritage.org/the-constitutio…
[3] reason.com/2022/06/20/the-ac…
[4] firstamendmentwatch.org/the-…
[5] fee.org/articles/the-aclu-is…
[6] aclu.org/news/civil-libertie…
[7] aclu.org/about/about-aclu
[8] aclu.org/about/about-members…
[9] abajournal.com/news/article/…
[10] pacificlegal.org/aclu-gives-…
[11] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americ…
[12] firstamendmentwatch.org/news…
[13] theguardian.com/us-news/2025…
[14] aclu.org/news/civil-libertie…
[15] ssir.org/articles/entry/aclu…
[16] thehill.com/opinion/civil-ri…
[17] aclu.org/news/civil-libertie…
[18] fastcompany.com/90144513/the…

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— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Nov 19, 2025