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Comment by matt_wulfeck | Hacker News Reader

If they're using violence then they're already breaking the law, so it's not really a free speech question.

This is he ACLU preparing itself not to defend these groups while trying not to loom publically like a hypocrite. Unfortunately free speech and constitutional rights are one of those things where you take the good with the bad.

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I think it's a perfectly fine statement to make, because they were criticized for supporting White Supremacists' protests as free speech, and they're making the distinction that they support the right to protest, but that their subsequent violence, after the ACLU made its original support, is not something they support.

You'd think that this is obvious, but plenty of people would have extrapolated incorrectly given that people never read primary sources or check timelines themselves.

Or they are just making their position clear: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imminent_lawless_action

Trump is being sued for inciting violence as well: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudenc...

Inciting violence should be a clear line, and I'm glad the ACLU of California is making it clear that it is. As far as past cases go, this doesn't seem to be contradictory or different, but I don't know if it is.

Without meaning to make any greater point, being sued isn't the same as being found guilty but is often treated as being 'close enough' in the media.

Context: So the ACLU of VA filed against having the rally moved to a park away from downtown Charlottesville, and the Judge agreed going against the City. Yeah, this probably wasn't the best call in retrospect. Something other ACLU chapters can correct.

https://acluva.org/20108/aclu-of-virginia-response-to-govern...

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/17/opinion/aclu-first-amendm...

https://www.aclu.org/blog/free-speech/equality-justice-and-f...

My interpretation is that it's to head off racist gun nuts hiding their 2A behind the 1A. So if something pops off, the ACLU isn't going to fig leaf a defense for them.

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