July 29, 1998

Meet me at the corner of Pepper Spray st. and Constitution blvd.

Susan Macauley, head bloody but unbowed, feels I have "rebuked" her for her opinions on the ACLU. She was, in fact, so busy feeling rebuked that she made no comment on the fact, and perhaps didn't even notice I agreed wholeheartedly with her main point. Megan's Law is an excellent idea. I disagree with the ACLU on this point. The glass is half full, Mrs. Macauley.

In the 23 years I have written the Reactor, I have been "rebuked" hundreds of times for having an opinion that differed from that of some readers. Some readers can't stand my opinions on stop signs, noisy motorcycles, guns, recall elections, open space, private property rights and other items. Welcome to the club, Mrs. Macauley. You, I and the ACLU have something in common. We have dared express our opinions and make active use of our First Amendment rights.

You called a very honorable and highly principled organization "despicable" because they happen to disagree with your judgment on one given item. Don't be shocked that some people disagree with your conclusion and consider it an insult.

Isn't it possible that when such a fine organization, with such an excellent reputation for promoting and protecting constitutional liberties is on the other side of the argument, that you should stop, look and listen before you cross that particular street? One of these days, you may find yourself in the minority of an argument. It may be your religion suddenly afoul of the law-enforcers. Your race may suddenly be the subject of ridicule or discrimination. Your son or daughter may find himself or herself being harassed or penalized for ancestry, religion, political opinion or sexual orientation. I hope when that happens the ACLU is still there to fight for your rights. There are a group of persons living in our city, our county, and our state who have been accused or convicted of molesting children. You and I are not about to worry about their rights, so somebody has to do it. From the Salem Witch Trials to the "repressed memory" cases right here in our own county in the last decade, injustices have been committed in the name of punishing the "guilty." We have an adversarial system of justice precisely because no one is immune from making mistakes, whether it's DA Jim Fox or columnist Paul Azevedo.

You should be glad that if your child or you yourself should be accused of being a sexual predator there is an organization like the ACLU who will not shrink from defending constitutional rights. It is not just in Mississippi that rights have been callously ignored by law enforcement officials. In Humboldt County, California, a congressman thought it was a fine idea to torture those who disagreed with him politically. I would certainly want the ACLU active, strong and at my side if police officials should use Q-tips loaded with pepper spray on my eyes. My heavens! The ACLU might even try to stop local vigilantes out to lynch a particularly unpopular neighbor. We can't have that, can we?