Freedom Files

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: media@aclu.org NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union today announced that local libraries can receive free copies of the two-DVD set of the ACLU Freedom Files as part of a new membership drive. The promotion invites ACLU supporters to send a set of the programs to any library of their choosing when they establish or renew ACLU membership. To date, more than 100 ACLU members have provided copies of the series to local libraries across the country in communities including Lexington, KY; Des Moines, IA; Bend, OR; Newnan, GA; Dana Point, CA; and Canandaigua, NY. “Librarians are true heroes for protecting the privacy rights of ordinary Americans against intrusion by the Patriot Act,” said ACLU Associate Legal Director Ann Beeson. “The ACLU was proud to represent a group of librarians in Connecticut recently who were gagged by the FBI after refusing to turn over patron records without a court order.” The four librarians, members of a Connecticut consortium called the Library Connection, sought help from the ACLU after the FBI demanded patron records through a National Security Letter. This controversial Patriot Act tool allows the government to demand, without court approval, records of people who are not suspected of any wrongdoing. Anyone who receives such a demand is gagged from disclosing the mere existence of the request. The ACLU successfully sued to have the gag order lifted. The librarians’ story is told in the Beyond the Patriot Act episode of the Freedom Files. Because the episode was filmed before the gag order was lifted, the individual librarians were not able to speak for themselves, but the ACLU has since posted video clips and statements from the librarians on its website at aclu.org. The 10 episode Freedom Files series also includes shows entitled: Women’s Rights, Youth Speak, Religious Freedom, Voting Rights, and The Supreme Court, among others. “We see the Freedom Files series as a tool for libraries and librarians to use in educating themselves and their patrons about some of our most pressing and relevant civil liberties issues,” Beeson said. “Open access libraries were born out of the constitutional spirit the ACLU seeks to protect. The ACLU and the ALA both stand for the fundamental American principle that information should be available to all.” Freedom Files combines interviews, documentary footage, comedy, drama, music and animation to engage viewers and alert them about critical civil rights issues ranging from free speech to religious freedom. The programs are reaching millions of viewers on cable network Court TV and satellite network Link TV, campus network Zilo TV, DVD's, and new media such as blogs, podcasts, and streaming video. The two-disk set includes subtitles in English and in Arabic as well as closed-captioning for the hearing impaired. In addition to the ACLU membership promotion, Freedom Files is also being offered to members of the ALA for a reduced price. The DVD set is available in retail outlets for $24.95. More information about The Freedom Files is online at: www.aclu.tv

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: media@aclu.org Fully Translated into Spanish and Arabic, Two-Disc Set Available July 25 Ten Episodes Addressing the Critical Civil Rights Issues of the Day and Featuring Real Clients and the Attorneys Who Represent Them NEW YORK -- Through a mix of interviews, documentary footage, re-creations, comedy, drama, music and animation, The ACLU Freedom Files strips away the sound bites to reveal how civil liberties affect real people everyday, regardless of political affiliation. As the series is released on DVD tomorrow, the ACLU announces its full translation into both Spanish and Arabic. "We created this series to take our message directly to the American people," said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero "We want to bring them face to face with the individuals behind the headlines and show that the fight to protect our hard-won freedoms is a constant struggle." The first season explores a broad range of topics, many of particular interest to Spanish and Arabic speaking communities. Shows that will have particular resonance with a Spanish speaking audience are those about voting and women's rights. Of specific interest to an Arabic speaking audience are episodes on the Patriot Act and religious freedom. Both language groups will find much to discuss in the racial profiling episode. Of interest to everyone in America are the episodes on the Supreme Court, free speech and dissent, gay and lesbian rights, drug policy, and youth freedoms. The stories are told by those who have had to fight for their rights and the attorneys who represent them. "Not only is the ACLU highlighting topics and issues that desperately need to be addressed, but they are doing it in an entirely new way," said Robert Greenwald, Executive Producer of the The ACLU Freedom Files. "The ACLU is the first non-profit of its kind to have a series on television. And with the DVD release of The ACLU Freedom Files, we're reaching the general public like never before." Since the series debut, the ACLU has enlisted its most devoted supporters to help broaden the audience for The ACLU Freedom Files. A nationwide network of activists-from librarians, educators and students to members of neighborhood associations and other concerned citizens-is bringing this important educational series to community centers, schools and living rooms across the country, and spreading the word through e-mail and the Web. The ACLU Freedom Files airs monthly on Court TV, as part of the network's "In Pursuit of Justice" programming, through November. A companion Web site, www.aclu.tv, provides digital trailers for each of the episodes, expanded information on the issues along with blogs, interactive games, podcasts, viewers' guides, and more. It also offers organizing tools to Producers Club members -- "do-it-yourself" activists who organize screenings of the programs and spread the word about the shows through blogs and e-mails. The series features real clients and the attorneys who represent them, as well as well-known actors, activists and comedians including Lewis Black, Margaret Cho, Richard Belzer, Harry Shearer, Judy Gold, Noah Wyle, and more. Through the powerful combination of DVD, television and the Internet, the ACLU and Greenwald hope The ACLU Freedom Files will show millions of Americans how critically important it is that we preserve our fundamental freedoms. The set, which will also offer closed captioning for the hearing impaired, will retail for $24.95. DVD copies of The ACLU Freedom Files are available for review.