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Home » E-newsletter » Archives » August 15, 2004
August 15, 2004 ACLU of Illinois E-News 08.15.04 We Were Away You may have noticed that the ACLU of Illinois E-News did not show up in your inbox at the end of July -- we were away on vacation. We are, however, back and will continue to update you twice each month on developments in civil liberties across the nation. If you know of friends, families and neighbors who would like to be added to our distribution list, please let us know at ACLUofIllinois@aclu-il.org. ACLU, Other Groups Set Up Hotline for Arabs, Muslims Questioned by FBI The ACLU of Illinois and other Chicago-area civil rights organizations have re-opened a telephone hotline for Arabs and Muslims designated for surveillance and questioning by federal law enforcement in a new round of interviews underway around the country. The ACLU is joined by the Chicago Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, the Muslim Bar Association and the Muslim Civil Rights Center have joined together to provide basic legal information and representation -- at no cost -- to any Muslim or Arab in the Chicago area requesting such assistance. Individuals designated for such an interview by the FBI can contact the ACLU of Illinois hotline at (800) 572-1092 or the Muslim Civil Rights Center at (866) 440-6272. Legal Director Harvey Grossman to be Recognized by John Howard Association The John Howard Association -- an Illinois-based group committed to corrections' reform and to monitoring conditions in confinement across the State -- have selected ACLU of Illinois Legal Director Harvey Grossman as recipient of its 2004 James Zacharias Award. The award, named for a long-time ACLU of Illinois activist and supporter of the John Howard Association, recognizes Harvey's "tenacity, intelligence and concern for humanity to the work of justice system reform." ACLU of Illinois members are invited to attend the awards dinner on Thursday, September 9th at the Hotel InterContinental in Chicago. To learn more, contact the John Howard Association at 312/782-1091. ACLU Taking Discussion on Marriage Equality to Peoria and Bloomington-Normal -- Mark Your Calendars Today Last week's decision by the California Supreme Court to void thousands of same-sex marriages approved by the City of San Francisco earlier this year is the latest chapter in the national dialogue about marriage equality. The ACLU of Illinois in conjunction with Lambda Legal and Equality Illinois is launching a series of programs designed to make clear the impact that marriage discrimination has upon our friends, our family members and our neighbors. Each program will feature local experts and gay male and lesbian couples describing their experiences and views about marriage equality and the real impact that discrimination has had upon their lives. The first event is scheduled for Peoria, Illinois, at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 15th, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Peoria Public Library downtown. The panel will feature Professor Emily Gill of Bradley University, the Reverend Michael Brown and gay couples from the Peoria area struggling to raise a family and confront daily issues without the governmental benefits provided by marriage laws in the State of Illinois and across the nation. The second in this series of programs is set for Thursday, October 7th, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Normal Public Library. A similar panel has been arranged for this event. We invite you to attend both events. ACLU Warns of Growth of Surveillance Society The government is rapidly increasing its ability to monitor average Americans by tapping into the growing amount of consumer data being collected by the private sector, according to a major report released last week by the American Civil Liberties Union. You can read more about the report by clicking http://www.aclu.org/Privacy/Privacy.cfm?ID=16229&c=130. |
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