Violation of Rights
I was detained at the airport. What can I do?
I was groped by airport security. What can I do?
Can my school dictate my appearance?
I'm concerned about my civil liberties. What can I do?
Can my employer make me take a drug test?

How do I join the ACLU?
The need has never been greater for freedom-loving people to join the ACLU. You can join online, by telephone 1-888-567-ACLU, or by sending a check to ACLU Membership Department, 125 Broad Street, 18^thfloor, New York, NY 10004. Take a stand against the growing threats to our most cherished Constitutional liberties.

I'm already an ACLU member, now how can I contribute?
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The ACLU Action Center has a number of current action alerts that help you take action on a range of important issues. You can also join the ACLU Action Network and subscribe to weekly action alerts on the key issues and send free faxes to your Members of Congress.

I feel my rights were violated, who can help?
Contact your local ACLU affiliate about your experience.

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Who works at the ACLU?
Read about the ACLU's leaders and staff who work to defend and preserve individual rights and liberties.

Where can I find out about jobs and internships at the ACLU?
You can find descriptions of positions at affiliate offices and national headquarters on the Career Opportunities page.

I sent money for membership but haven't received my card.
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The membership department sends out renewal notices before your membership expires to ensure there is no gap in your membership status. If you are concerned about notices you are receiving, please contact the ACLU's membership department by E-mail or telephone (1-212-549-2585).

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Click here to update or correct your address with the ACLU.

About This Web Site
What's available on ACLU.org?
The ACLU.org has information on membership and contributions, the latest news about issues the ACLU champions, contact information for local affiliate ACLU chapters, ACLU and the Supreme Court cases dating back to 1994, legislative updates searchable by issue and region, activism tools in the Take Action Center, highlighted topics like Get Busy, Get Equal and Reproductive Rights, Forums where you can discuss all these topics and much more.

What is your Web site's privacy policy?
The ACLU is a fierce protector of individual privacy. Read the ACLU's detailed privacy statement.

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Enter the E-mail address used when you registered for the Forums and the password and username will be sent to that e-mail address.

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Issues the ACLU Champions
What is the PATRIOT Act?
The PATRIOT Act was passed by the U.S. congress in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It ushered in an overnight revision of the nation's surveillance laws that vastly expands the government's authority to spy on its citizens, while reducing checks and balances on those powers. The ACLU is pushing for Congress to re-examine provisions of the PATRIOT Act to ensure that it is in alignment with key constitutional protections and prevent any further intrusions, like the creation of a PATIOT II.

What is the ACLU's position on affirmative action?
The ACLU supports affirmative action as one of the most effective tools for redressing injustices caused by our nation's historic discrimination against people of color and women.

Is the ACLU against religion?
The ACLU believes in the right of each and every American to practice his or her own religion, or no religion at all, is among the most fundamental of the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. The ACLU works to ensure religious liberty is protected by keeping the government out of the realm of all religions. For more information, please see the Religious Liberty section.

Why did the ACLU defend NAMBLA?
In representing NAMBLA, the ACLU does not advocate sexual relationships between adults and children. What we do advocate is robust freedom of speech. This lawsuit strikes at the heart of freedom of speech. The defense of freedom of speech is most critical when the message is one most people find repulsive. For more information, please read the ACLU's press release.

What is the ACLU's position on gun control?
The national ACLU is neutral on the issue of gun control. We believe the Second Amendment does not confer an unlimited right upon individuals to own guns or other weapons, nor does it prohibit reasonable regulation of gun ownership, such as licensing and registration. For more information, please read our statement on gun control.

Why is the ACLU defending Nike in the case of Nike, Inc. v. Kasky?
The ACLU does not believe the speech at issue in Nike, Inc. v. Kasky can properly be treated as commercial speech and subject to diminished First Amendment protection. Nike's interest in telling its side of the story in a nationwide debate focusing attention on alleged abuses at its overseas workplaces is no less entitled to full First Amendment protection than statements made by those who have leveled charges critical of Nike's employment practices. We believe the public also has a compelling First Amendment interest in hearing a balanced debate. For more information, please see the ACLU's amicus brief to this case.

Why did the ACLU hire Bob Barr as a consultant?
Republican Georgian Congressman Bob Barr and the ACLU disagree on many issues, but as the ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero said, his agreement to work with the ACLU "demonstrates how deeply concerns about personal privacy cut across partisan lines." For more information, please read the press release announcing the collaboration of Bob Barr and the ACLU.

Why does the ACLU want to remove crosses from federal cemeteries?
The ACLU is not pursuing, nor has it ever pursued, the removal of religious symbols from personal gravestones. Personal gravestones are the choice of the family members, not the choice of the government. The ACLU celebrates this freedom to choose the religious symbol of your choice. Read more about the ACLU's stance on religious freedom.

Why does the ACLU object to federal employees bowing their heads?
The ACLU has no knowledge about the photograph of Marines praying that has circulated on the Internet. The ACLU has also never had a spokesperson -- quoted by news organizations as "Lucius Traveler" -- by this name.

Violation of Rights
I was detained at the airport. What can I do?
Report your experience if you were a victim of a "no-fly" list or racial profiling.

Can my school dictate my appearance?
It depends on what state you live in. In some states, students can wear their hair any way they want as long as it's not a safety hazard (if your hair is very long, you have to tie it back during a science experiment). Courts in other states allow school hair codes - and where hair codes are permitted, so are dress codes. For more information, please read our position paper on "Freedom of Expression." You can also check with your local ACLU affiliate about the laws in your state.

I'm concerned about my civil liberties. What can I do?
Join the ACLU. You can join the ACLU's Action Network to receive weekly alerts about legislative issues and to send free faxes to your Members of Congress. Visit the ACLU's Action Center and take the steps listed on the Action Checklist. You can also volunteer to work with your local ACLU affiliate to address state and local issues.

Can my employer make me take a drug test?
Employers are most likely within their legal rights to test employees. Some safety-sensitive jobs and government jobs have implemented policies of random, suspicionless drug testing for employees. If you feel you have tested falsely positive for drugs during a drug test administered by your employer, go immediately to your own doctor and get another drug test. For more information, read the ACLU booklet Drug Testing: A Bad Investment.