<P> The ACLU's support of the NLRB was a major development for the ACLU, because it marked the first time it accepted that a government agency could be responsible for upholding civil liberties . Until 1937, the ACLU felt that civil rights were best upheld by citizens and private organizations . </P> <P> Some factions in the ACLU proposed new directions for the organization . In the late 1930s, some local affiliates proposed shifting their emphasis from civil liberties appellate actions, to becoming a legal aid society, centered on store front offices in low income neighborhoods . The ACLU directors rejected that proposal . Other ACLU members wanted the ACLU to shift focus into the political arena, and to be more willing to compromise their ideals in order to strike deals with politicians . This initiative was also rejected by the ACLU leadership . </P> <P> The ACLU's support of defendants with unpopular, sometimes extreme, viewpoints have produced many landmark court cases and established new civil liberties . One such defendant was the Jehovah's Witnesses, who were involved in a large number of Supreme Court cases . Cases that the ACLU supported included Lovell v. City of Griffin (which struck down a city ordinance that required a permit before a person could distribute "literature of any kind"); Martin v. Struthers (which struck down an ordinance prohibiting door - to - door canvassing); and Cantwell v. Connecticut (which reversed the conviction of a Witness who was reciting offensive speech on a street corner). </P> <P> The most important cases involved statutes requiring flag salutes . The Jehovah's Witnesses felt that saluting a flag was contrary to their religious beliefs . Two children were convicted in 1938 of not saluting the flag . The ACLU supported their appeal to the Supreme Court, but the court affirmed the conviction, in 1940 . But three years later, in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, the Supreme court reversed itself and wrote "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein ." To underscore its decision, the Supreme Court announced it on Flag Day . </P>

Amendment officers of the us who rebelled against the government