The Twilight of Liberty: The Legacy of the ACLU [Paperback]

William A. Donohue (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 16, 2001 | ISBN-10: 076580722X | ISBN-13: 978-0765807229 | Edition: Revised

"Provocative . . . he acknowledges that the ACLU has honorably battled violations of individual rights but he maintains that the group's fetishization of those rights degrades institutions that help build responsibility and community. . . . His critique is in many instances appropriate." -Publisher's Weekly

"Mr. Donohue makes a detailed and persuasive argument that, far from simply "protecting constitutional freedom the ACLU is driven by an ideology for which the accurate term is extremist. Twilight of Liberty is an important polemical and constructive contribution to understanding law, politics, and morality in contemporary America." -First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life

"William Donohue thoroughly documents and perceptively analyzes both the socially destructive work of the American Civil Liberties Union and the threat to liberty presented by the extremist positions on individual "rights" ACLU propagates. This book is a much-needed antidote to pernicious trends in our national life." -American Enterprise Institute

Twilight of Liberty is a sequel to Donohue's highly regarded The Politics of the American Civil Liberties Union, but with a marked change in emphasis. Instead of challenging the ACLU's nonpartisan reputation, as he did in the earlier volume, Donohue now seeks to demonstrate why and how recent ACLU policy undermines the process of liberty. He argues that the ACLU, by relentlessly warring with mediating institutions, and by pushing a radical individualism in its policies, is not making us more, but less free.

Two conceptions of liberty are discussed. The first considers the social context in which the struggle for freedom takes place. It maintains that freedom is best achieved through a delicate balancing of individual rights with the legitimate needs of the social order. The other conception of liberty is atomistic, exclusively concerned with the rights of the individual. According to Donohue, such a definition assures the triumph of the state over the mediating institutions of society, thus reducing prospects for freedom.

This is the first book to critically analyze contemporary ACLU policy and to challenge its reputation as the preeminent voice of freedom in the United States. It aims to move beyond the idea that freedom is best served by pushing individual rights to extremes. Twilight of Liberty will appeal to scholars in the fields of law, social policy, and culture. Students in civil liberties courses will also find this book a valuable resource.

William A. Donohue is president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Following his book, The Politics of the American Civil Liberties Union , which argued that the group was not, as professed, above politics, LaRoche College (Pittsburgh) sociologist Donohue offers a flawed but provocative critique of what he calls the ACLU's "statism and libertinism." He acknowledges that the ACLU has honorably battled violations of individual rights, but he maintains that the group's fetishization of those rights degrades institutions that help build responsibility and community. Donohue raises worthwhile questions about ACLU positions against "contact tracing" for HIV, metal detectors in schools and public expressions of religion. He contends that the organization's own practices don't match its support for affirmative action, and finds inconsistency in ACLU views on sexual harassment and campus free speech. He blames the ACLU participation in the deinstitutionalization movement for increasing the numbers of mentally ill homeless people and suggests that the group's defense of teenagers' constitutional rights ignores the claim of inner-city residents that curfews can make their communities safer. Though Donohue argues from the right, many of his contentions echo those of communitarian centrists, and his critique is in many instances appropriate.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

William A. Donohue is president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights in New York City. He taught at both St. Lucy’s School in Spanish Harlem and La Roche College. He is the author of numerous works, including The Politics of the American Civil Liberties Union, The New Freedom, and Secular Sabotage.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Transaction Publishers; Revised edition (January 16, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076580722X
• ISBN-13: 978-0765807229
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,908,901 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, January 26, 2002

By 

Dave Huber (Delaware, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Twilight of Liberty: The Legacy of the ACLU (Hardcover)

Donohue dissects the machinations of the pre-eminent civil liberties organization from many perspectives -- family, churches, the private sector, criminals, the homeless -- and does an excellent job backing up his points with numerous sources. His argument is quite credible that, far from being concerned about the Bill of Rights for individuals, the ACLU delves head first into egalitarianism, embracing the creed of equal *group* rights that frequently contradict many of the Union's stated liberty values.

If the Union is so concerned about the Bill of Rights -- especially the 1st Amendment -- why doesn't it respect the rest of the Constitution's goals? For example, since the Bill of Rights was written as a guarantee of protection for the individual *from* government, how does the ACLU advocate that the 2nd Amendment is a *collective* right? Why does it consistently advocate governmental interference into the private sector at almost every turn in order to promote nebulous ideals? Donohue's exposing of the many 180 degree turns the Union has taken on various issues is a jaw-dropper.

I would have liked, perhaps, to have seen more of a balance as to what the ACLU has done *positively* w/regards to Donohue's selected topics. He basically cites only glossed-over generalities as to what the Union has done, usually in the opening paragraph of a chapter -- before diving right into the thrashing of his target. Sure, it's obvious what Mr. Donohue wants to do, but it would have read better, in my opinion, with more anecdotes from the other view.