University of Virginia Library

ACLU To Conduct Education,
Membership Drives This Week

The University's Student
Chapter of the American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU) is
carrying out a membership and
education drive this week. The
drive is intended to create
more support for the activities
of the chapter and to increase
student understanding about
the activities of the ACLU.

Student Chapter Chairman
John Russell, third-year
Commerce student, is directing
the drive, which centers around
a beer party scheduled for
Thursday. Persons interested in
finding out more about the
ACLU are invited to attend the
gathering and should call
977-3825 or 977-6906 for
further information.

Spot Announcements

Other aspects of the
membership drive include spot
announcements on radio
stations and posters. "This is a
low-key effort," said Kevin
Mannix, chairman of the
Central Virginia Chapter,
which is the student chapter's
parent organization. "We find
that concerned people need
only a spark to get them
involved in ACLU work."

According to Mr. Russell,
the major ACLU activities
include educating the public as
to their civil liberties, lobbying
for and against legislation
affecting civil liberties, and
litigation. "Even though our
court cases catch the
headlines," said Mr. Russell,
"our major efforts are behind
the scenes."

Constitutional Rights

Mr. Mannix stressed that
the ACLU is neither "liberal"
nor "conservative." "We have
defended the constitutional
rights of all Americans," he
said, "ranging from the Nazis
to the Communists. Yet the
vast majority of our work
involves average citizens who
are somehow being screwed by
unconstitutional governmental
activity"

A recent action by the
ACLU concerned an outdated
city ordinance which regulated
the distribution of handbills
Asserting that the law had not
been enforced for years and
that it was clearly
unconstitutional, the local
chapter asked City Council to
repeal it.

The ordinance was repealed
at the march 6 meeting of City Council.