American Civil Liberties Union

A few weeks ago, the Obama administration filed a brief in response to our lawsuit challenging the president's targeted killing program. In that brief, the Justice Department asserted, among other things, that the president’s targeted killing authority is a “political question” that should not be subject to judicial review. It also invoked the state secrets privilege, arguing that litigating the case would threaten national security. Essentially, the Obama administration asserts the courts should play no role in establishing and enforcing the rules under which the president can kill American citizens whom it unilaterally determines to pose a threat.

In a speech delivered before the Memorial de Caen International Human Rights Competition in Caen, France, yesterday, New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak said:

The death penalty is a random act of brutality. Its application throughout the United States is random, depending on where the murder occurred, the race and economic status of who committed the murder, the race and economic status of the person murdered and, of course, the quality of the legal defense.

…The worse damage [the death penalty] does is to a society that believes it needs to seek revenge over redemption.

The need for revenge leads to hate and violence. Redemption opens the door to healing and peace. Revenge slams it shut.

A society that turns its back on redemption commits itself to holding on to anger and a need for vengeance in a quest for fulfillment that can not be met by those destructive emotions. Redemption instead opens the door to the space that asks healing questions in the wake of violence: questions of crime prevention, questions of why some human beings put such a low value on life that they readily take it from others, questions that help us understand how to help those impacted by violence; questions that take a back seat, and are often ignored, when our minds and emotions are filled with a need for revenge.

(Originally posted on MomsRising.org.)

Imagine this scenario: You just had a baby. You might be a tad tired; in a bit of a stupor, perhaps. A hospital employee —maybe your doctor or nurse — hands you a 32-page pamphlet explaining what will be done with your baby's DNA sample after it's tested for disease. You accept the pamphlet.

The hubbub over the TSA naked machines and "enhanced pat-downs" impact everyone who travels. But if you're a transgender individual, you might be especially wary of what you'll confront in the security line. So be sure to check out the National Center for Transgender Equality's travel tips for transgender individuals. They also offer a FAQ on Whole Body Imaging (PDF).