This Week in Civil Liberties

09/16/2011
This Week in Civil Liberties

This Week in Civil Liberties (9/16/2011)

By Rekha Arulanantham, ACLU at 5:48pm

What kind of information still remains vulnerable to government surveillance even 10 years after 9/11?

Who can you help save by sending a letter to the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Parole?

Which state is proposing an amendment that is intended to limit the religious freedoms of Muslim-Americans?

At what school did a judge temporarily stop the unconstitutional mandatory drug testing of students?

Which federal agency’s training materials teach religious discrimination and mistrust of the Muslim-American community?

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09/09/2011
This Week in Civil Liberties

This Week in Civil Liberties (9/9/11)

By Rekha Arulanantham, ACLU at 4:26pm

Against whom did the ACLU win a major victory in the fight against warrantless cell phone location tracking?

Which amendment protects photographers' right to take pictures of things that are plainly visible in public spaces?

How much do you have to pay to visit a loved one in an Arizona prison?

What organization is appealing a decision that upholds a private citizen’s First Amendment right to free speech?

At what Missouri college will ALL new students have to take a mandatory drug test to attend classes?

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09/02/2011
U.S. Torture

This Week in Civil Liberties (9/2/2011)

By Rekha Arulanantham, ACLU at 5:03pm

What major telecom company participated in warrantless wiretapping?

Which former leader has no regrets about Bush Administration torture policies?

What supposedly quick fix to public education deficiencies endangers the separation between church and state?

What group is entitled to due process according to a US Court of Appeals case from this week?

Who did NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg endanger by failing to prepare adequately for Hurricane Irene?

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08/26/2011
This Week in Civil Liberties

This Week in Civil Liberties (8/25/2011)

By Rekha Arulanantham, ACLU at 5:23pm

Which state enacted a drug testing welfare benefit application law that costs more than it saves?

What can you do to protect your private info on Facebook?

Who are the NYPD and FBI spying on?

Who spent over half his life on death row before he was released because he was wrongfully convicted?

Told You So: Florida's New Drug Testing Policy Already Costing Taxpayers More
We've said a few times about Florida's horrible new law that drug tests all families applying for cash benefits. The law, which went into effect July 1, makes applicants front the cost of the drug test and reimburses individuals if they test negative. The ACLU and others predicted this program would be a failure and cost the state of Florida much more money than they would save. Guess what? In just the few weeks that the program has been in effect, we have been proven right.

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08/19/2011
This Week in Civil Liberties

This Week in Civil Liberties (8/19/2011)

By Rekha Arulanantham, ACLU at 5:55pm

What school fired a teacher for having to pump breast milk?
How did California's BART system censor the public to avoid a political demonstration?
What school district allows students to access anti-LGBT websites but blocks LGBT sites that provide anti-bullying information and other resources?
What state discourages donations to organizations that provide information on reproductive health services?
What major world power violated human rights according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. (Here’s a hint: If you are reading this, you most likely live in this country.)

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08/12/2011
This Week in Civil Liberties

This Week in Civil Liberties (8/12/2011)

By Rekha Arulanantham, ACLU at 5:30pm

What military base, after initially pulling its support, is allowing an atheist concert on base?
How can states save some of your taxpayer dollars?
Which civil servant publicly indicated indifference towards separation between church and state? (Here’s a hint: His job has everything to do with church and state!)
How many senators have rethought their 1996 decisions to support DOMA?
In what state did a federal appeals court strike down a law that prohibited transgender prisoners from receiving medically necessary treatments?

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08/05/2011
This Week in Civil Liberties

This Week in Civil Liberties (8/5/2011)

By Rekha Arulanantham, ACLU at 6:03pm

What does the debt ceiling have to do with civil liberties?
What government agency has to pay the ACLU’s legal fees?
How many states believe Islamic Law is a threat to our legal system?
What threatens civil liberties?
How is Big Brother watching you?

Is the Debt Ceiling a Civil Liberties Issue?
During this week's debt ceiling negotiations, hard decisions were made about which federal programs will continue and which ones won’t. Read more about the civil liberties consequences of those choices.

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07/29/2011
This Week in Civil Liberties

This Week in Civil Liberties (7/29/2011)

In what state are inflato-Americans not allowed to use school bathrooms?
In what state is jaywalking considered more harmful that driving under the influence?
In what state do they expect you to show your junk -- or lack thereof -- to keep your driver's license?
What state is home to a think tank where they believe reproductive freedom oppresses women?
Which state governor is hiding his activities behind his Outlook password?
 
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07/22/2011
This Week in Civil Liberties

This Week in Civil Liberties (7/22/2011)

By Jessica Monaco, ACLU at 4:46pm

Quick:

  • What Vermont hotel won't host a lesbian couple's wedding?
  • Whose president has endorsed the Respect for Marriage Act?
  • Which government agency doesn't want to see you naked in airports so much anymore?
  • Which 23 documents are secret even though everyone on the Internet has seen them?
  • What White House advisor thinks "0 deaths" is the same as "dozens of deaths"?

The answers to these questions and more on the ACLU's Blog of Rights...

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07/15/2011
This Week in Civil Liberties

This Week in Civil Liberties

By Jessica Monaco, ACLU at 5:12pm

This week, blog posts revealed that we are ignoring the rights of foreign nationals, ignoring juries, and ignoring the will of the people. Britain probably will continue being our BFF regardless, because they are ignoring privacy. Luckily, Washington, D.C. is ignoring the current fashion for corrections systems making big criminals out of little criminals...


Execution in Texas, Despite So Much
Texas executed a Mexican national who was tried, convicted and sentenced to die in the state of Texas without ever talking to the Mexican consulate. His sentence would almost certainly have been different if he had. It is certain that his lawyer would have been different – Mexico pays for experienced lawyers to defend against death penalty cases for its citizens.
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