American Communist Lawyers Union (American Civil Liberties Union nickname)

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was founded in 1920, with the mission “to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.” Critics of the ACLU have claimed that the organization often defends anti-American speech and actions.
   
The ACLU has been dubbed the “American Communist Lawyers Union” (or “American Communist Lawyer’s Union”) since at least 1982. The nickname “American Communist Lawyers Union” has been used by critics who claim that the ACLU lawyers support Communist (or anti-American) causes.
   
Other ACLU nicknames include “American Criminal Liberties Union” (cited in print since at least 1977), “American Criminal Lovers Union” (cited in print since at least 1981) and “American Communist Lovers Union” (cited in print since at least 1984).
 
ACLU “anti-Christian” nicknames include “Anti-Christian Litigation Union” (cited in print since at least 1980), “Anti-Christian Lawyers Union” (cited in print since at least 1982), “Anti-Christian Liberals Union” (cited in print since at least 1984), “Anti-Christian Lawsuit Union” (cited in print since at least 1988) and Anti-Christian Litigation Unit” (cited in print since at least 1991).
 
 
Wikipedia: American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) consists of two separate non-profit organizations: the ACLU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization which focuses on litigation and communication efforts, and the American Civil Liberties Union, a 501(c)(4) organization which focuses on legislative lobbying. The ACLU’s stated mission is “to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.” It works through litigation, legislation, and community education. Founded in 1920 by Crystal Eastman, Roger Baldwin and Walter Nelles, the ACLU was the successor organization to the earlier National Civil Liberties Bureau founded during World War I. The ACLU reported over 500,000 members in 2010.
 
Lawsuits brought by the ACLU have been influential in the evolution of Constitutional law. The ACLU provides legal assistance in cases in which it considers civil liberties to be at risk. Even when the ACLU does not provide direct legal representation, it often submits amicus curiae briefs.
 
Outside of its legal work, the organization has also engaged in lobbying of elected officials and political activism. The ACLU has been critical of elected officials and policies of both Democrats and Republicans.
 
Abbreviations.com
What does ACLU stand for? We’ve found 43 results (“Communist” entries—ed.)
ACLU American Communist Lawyers Union
ACLU American Communists And Liberals United
ACLU All Communists Love Us
ACLU Atheists, Communists, And Liberals United
ACLU All Communist Loonies United
ACLU Atheists Communist And Lawyers United
ACLU Atheist Communists Liberating Ungodliness
ACLU A Commie Liberal Union
     
Google Books
Hometown
By Peter W. Davis
New York, NY: Simon and Schuster
1982
Pg. 62:
“ACLU, you know, the American Communist Lawyers Union.”
     
15 June 1989, Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader, “ACLU decries tobacco-ad limits,” pg. B6:
When Barry Lynn, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, mentioned to someone that he was going to Kentucky for a speaking engagement, he was told, “Down there they think ACLU stands for American Communist Lawyers Union.”
 
Google News Archive
20 January 1990, St. Petersburg (FL) Times, Letters, Pasco Times, pg. 2, col. 2:
Marx and Lenin’s theories already were terminally ill when Falwell first called the American Civic Liberties Union the “American Communist Lawyer’s Union.”
   
Google Books
Born D.O.A.
By William Jones
XulonPress.com
2004
Pg. 104:
While we find the ACLU (American Civil Liberty Union) (and also known as-American Communist Lawyers Union), making every effort possible to encourage their chosen lifestyle and behavior.
   
Google Books
A Synthesis of the Russian Brainwashing Manual on Psychopolitics
By David Todeschini
www.Net4Truth.com
2005
Pg. 96:
Our advocates in the American Communist Lawyer’s Union (ACLU) stand ready to assist the operative who can contrive any case against the teaching of religion or about God in the public schools.
         
Stop The ACLU
American Communist Lawyer’s Union
Posted by Jay on July 12, 2005 6:23 pm
I brought this over from the old site because…it needed to be over here. One of the very first posts I wrote.
 
The Brief History of the ACLU’s Communist founding and Agenda.
The ACLU was founded on January 19, 1920. It grew out of a previous group, The National Civil Liberties Bureau which had grown out of the American Union Against Militarism, and a party that was held in New York City and attended by just about every radical from New York, such as Socialist Party notable Norman Thomas, future Communist Party chairman Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, and Soviet agent Agnes Smedley. In 1920, Rev. Harry Ward, the RedDean of the Union Theological Seminary was Chairman, Baldwin was director, and Communist publisher Louis Budenz, who would later go on to testify against Communism, director of publicity. The founders numbered over 60 but most of the work was done by the following:...
 
Google Books
Encyclopedia for the new American century:
Understanding verbalizations in this new age of empire, mythology and consumersim
By R. B. Vineyard
New York, NY: iUniverse
2006
Pg. 3:
ACLU: American Communist Lawyers Union.
     
Google Books
Citizen-Soldier Handbook:
101 Ways Every American Can Fight Terrorism
By Michael Mandaville
Indianapolis, IN: Dog Ear
2009
Pg. 241:
In addition, the ACLU (is that the American Communist Lawyers Union?) opposes an Immigration and Naturalization Service program to require Arab and Muslim males visiting the US to register.