Must be a new century

The ACLU supported an unfashionable cause exactly once in its nasty tyrannical history, and has been riding on its fake reputation as a paragon of fairness and balance ever since.

Now they’re supporting an unfashionable cause again! GetReligion explores the mystery.

The well-known Christian group Wallbuilders tried to sell an ad to the DC transit company, for placement on its cards inside buses. The transit company refused to take the ad on the usual grounds of “hate speech”.

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The ads featured 19th-century painter Henry Brueckner’s depiction of George Washington kneeling in prayer or of the signing of the U.S. Constitution along with text inviting viewers to “Find out about the faith of our Founders” by visiting the Wallbuilders website.

WMATA, in rejecting the campaign, said the messages were “intended to influence members of the public regarding an issue on which there are varying public opinions” and were ones “that promote or oppose any religion, religious practice or belief.”

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By itself this decision seems correct to me. Accepting and placing a paid ad is a statement by government favoring one religion, which ought to be banned by the proper original meaning of the Establishment Clause.

BUT: The agency had already accepted ads for the South Park movie parodying Mormons, so they’ve already taken one side on a religious question. The Fairness Doctrine, though no longer a written law, is still a basic logical principle. It’s better to avoid all advocacy, but if corporations advocate ONE side they must carry BOTH sides.

So the lawsuit is rational by FDR’s standards.

The article doesn’t explain why ACLU decided to run another Skokie game. Maybe the fake lionizing clock has decayed down to its half-life point, so it’s time to recharge.