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Home » E-newsletter » Archives » November 17, 2003
November 17, 2003 ACLU of Illinois E-News 11.17.03 At ACLU's Request, Court Acts to Protect Women's Health and Blocks Federal Ban Approximately twenty-four hours after President Bush signed into law a measure to ban safe abortion procedure s, a federal court judge in New York blocked enforcement of the ban and noted the negative impact the ban could have on women's health care. The U.S. Supreme Court already has found such laws unconstitutional. The ban, on so-called "partial birth abortion" procedures, poses a serious threat to women's health -- since it outlaws not a single procedure, but a number of procedures that are used when health circumstances warrant late in a pregnancy and also are used as part of the safest procedures during the second trimester. One of the most frustrating aspects of this debate has been the way in which the media has miscast the issue as one related to the time in pregnancy when the abortion is performed. In the New York case, one of the legal team representing physicians in the National Abortion Federation is ACLU of Illinois Reproductive Rights Director Lorie Chaiten. ACLU Report Details Widespread Discriminations Against People with HIV and AIDS The National ACLU released a report last week that details pervasive civil rights violations throughout the United States against people with HIV and AIDS. The report details information compiled in interviews from the past two years with community-based AIDS service providers from across the nation. You can read more about one such case -- a matter that was the subject of a lawsuit filed last week -- and download the full report, titled HIV & Civil Rights: A Report from the Frontlines of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic, by going here. SAFE Act Would Address Most Egregious Aspects of USA PATRIOT Act More than two years after the USA PATRIOT Act was approved by Congress, public opposition to the provisions of the Patriot Act continues to grow. This past week, the Sacramento City Council became the 211th community from across the nation to go on record opposing all or parts of the Patriot Act. With so many communities and individuals speaking out on this issue, Congress is beginning to receive the message. For example, Illinois Senator Richard Durbin and Senator Larry Craig of Idaho recently introduced S. 1709, the Security and Freedom Ensured Act. The legislation addresses some of the most troubling aspects of the Patriot Act, the ability to conduct searches and gather information without any individualized suspicion and limits on the use of so-called "sneak and peek" warrants. You can learn more about the SAFE Act and send a free fax to your member of Congress by going here. Senator Durbin to Address Religious Freedom On Sunday, November 23, 2003 at 3:00 p.m., the KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation in Chicago is sponsoring a discussion titled, "Preserving the Separation of Church and State: An Essential Element of Our Democracy." The speaker for the event is Illinois Senator Richard Durbin. It is anticipated that the Senate `or will discuss recent efforts by the Bush Administration to allow religious organizations to use federal funds in programs that discriminate based upon religion either in employment of in the provision of services. KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation is located at 1100 East Hyde Park Boulevard in Chicago. For more information, call 773/924-1234. |
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