Just Who Does the ACLU Represent?

Some of the cynical, such as myself, have long been suspicious of the American Civil Liberty Union’s motivation.

Locally, Monroe County(Rochester), NY provides some six million dollars in funding to the local library system.  When, the county executive, Maggie Brooks, found that the library was allowing internet access to pornography, she threatened to yank the county’s funding.  I move I applaud.

Predictably the local chapter of the ACLU protested Brooks’ proposal.

(Rochester, N.Y.) — The American Civil Liberties Union is criticizing Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks for what they say is an infringement on First Amendment rights.
Brooks threatened to pull the county’s $6 million funding to Rochester’s Central Library after learning that the library lets adult patrons view blocked Web sites that could be inappropriate or pornographic.

Meanwhile in Virginia one Charles Rust-Tierney was arrested for alleged possession of child ponography.  ABC News provides a report:

Feb. 23, 2007— Federal agents arrested Charles Rust-Tierney, the former president of the Virginia chapter of the ACLU, Friday in Arlington for allegedly possessing child pornography.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by ABC News, Rust-Tierney allegedly used his e-mail address and credit card to subscribe to and access a child pornography website.

Don Riehl, Riehl World View, makes the connection between  Rust-Tierney’s arrest in Virginia and Rochester, New York very clear.

Originally from Rochester, NY, evidently he met his wife while they were VISTA volunteers in Iowa.

She met another young Vista volunteer named Charles Tierney from Rochester, N.Y..

Allahpundit, provides a very graphic description.

Note that one of the causes Rust-Tierney defended as public library Internet access to porn:

The ACLU of Virginia thanks the Loudoun County Library Board for this opportunity to speak to the Board and the public about Internet access In the Loudoun County libraries. Today more than ever, our nation’s libraries are vibrant multi-cultural institutions that connect people in the smallest and most remote communities with global information resources. Thus, despite differences regarding appropriate means, we know that everyone in the room ultimately shares the same end goal: to provide an opportunity for all of the citizens of Loudoun County to benefit from the tremendous information resources available on the Internet.

It now seems apparent that the ACLU’s zeal to defend access to porn in Virginia was not solely motivated by some theoretical concern for rights.   Might the ACLU have similar motivations in Rochester?   In your home town?