[comp.org.eff.talk] The reputation of the ACLU

peter@sugar.hackercorp.com (Peter da Silva) (09/03/90)

In article <11522@medusa.cs.purdue.edu> spaf@cs.purdue.edu (Gene Spafford) writes:
> The ACLU has a poor reputation with a segment of the population
> because of their (to some) one-sided approach to the law.

I would hope the EFF gets just such a reputation. There is a need for an
organisation that fulfills the role of the ACLU. Popular causes have plenty
of advocates... it's the unpopular ones that need the ACLU. They have very
limited resources and have to allocate them where the need is greatest... and
that is (by the very nature of things) always going to be the least popular
causes. Unless the EFF ends up with far greater resources than the ACLU has
had, it will end up with the same rep. If it doesn't, that means it has simply
failed.

> I would
> like to see the EFF get across-the-board support from everybody, but
> that can't happen if they get a similarly one-sided reputation.

The only way to do that would be if the EFF refused to take unpopular cases.

> Rights do not come without responsibilities.

What of the EFF's responsibilities? The SPA and ADAPSO are better suited to
handle the "missing" part of the EFF's mission.
-- 
Peter da Silva.   `-_-'
<peter@sugar.hackercorp.com>.