After harboring guilt feelings for years about not being a member of the ACLU, I finally joined the other day. I didn't realize membership is only $20. That's fifteen bucks cheaper than the Sierra Club, if memory serves.

My great grampy J.H. Ryckman was one of the co-founders of the Southern California ACLU along with Upton Sinclair. According to my grandma, J.H. was born into indentured servitude and escaped. Can't verify this though. The story is that his ma fled the Irish Potato famine and went into indentured servitude in the U.S., so I guess it's possible he was born into it. Nevertheless, the guy had a feeling or two about civil liberties. A toast to you, James Harvey! I'm hanging onto your very red, Socialist Party card. I suck compared to you.