|
Home » E-newsletter » Archives » September 17, 2004
September 17, 2004 ACLU of Illinois E-News 09.17.04 Discussion on Marriage Equality Plays in Peoria The ACLU of Illinois and a host of statewide and local Peoria groups sponsored a thoughtful, dynamic discussion on marriage equality on September 14th. The program featured two Peoria area same-sex couples who helped the audience understand the real difficulties faced by their families as a result of our current discriminatory marriage laws. The next such program is scheduled for Thursday, October 7th at the Normal Public Library, beginning at 6:30 p.m. If you want to read more about the Peoria event, click http://www.aclu-il.org/news/press/000204.shtml. 2004 Bill of Rights Celebration Features Keynote Address by Morris Dees The 2004 ACLU of Illinois Bill of Rights Celebration will be an exciting event for all who attend -- with a number of distinguished awardees, tremendous live and silent auction items for the highest bidder, and a keynote speech by Morris Dees, founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center. The event, the major annual fundraiser for the Roger Baldwin Foundation (the advocacy arm of the ACLU of Illinois) will be held at Chicago's Hyatt Regency Hotel on Saturday evening, October 2nd. To learn more about the cost and logistics of the event, click http://www.aclu-il.org/takeaction/events/000183.shtml. Speak out -- Congress Considering Measure to Strip Courts of Jurisdiction in Religious Liberty Cases For the second time in recent months, the United States House of Representatives is set to vote on a measure that seeks to remove jurisdiction from all federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States, over cases involving the Pledge of Allegiance and whether a requirement that the Pledge be recited in our public schools violates the First Amendment. HR2028, The Pledge Protection Act, was approved in the House Judiciary Committee and could be considered on the floor of the House as early as next week! Contact your representative in Congress and let them know that you oppose stripping the courts of their critical role in reviewing the constitutionality of legislation. You can send a free fax to your representative in the House - right from your desktop - by going to http://www.aclu.org/FreeSpeech/FreeSpeech.cfm?ID=16436&c=42. Events, Events, Events -- on Choice for Women, Marriage Equality and the Patriot Act A number of upcoming events feature ACLU issues in direct or indirect ways. On Thursday, October 28th, Personal PAC's 11th Annual Awards Luncheon will feature the presentation of the Pro-Choice Leadership Awward to Lorie Chaiten, Director of the ACLU of Illinois Reproductive Rights Project. You can learn more at www.personalpac.org. Early October marks the launch of a documentary film, Tying the Knot, that explores the issues of marriage equality and same sex marriage. The film features a rancher couple in Oklahoma and a Florida lesbian couples who are both police officers. In Chicago, the film will be showing at the Music Box Theater begining on October 1st. You can learn more and see a trailer for the movie at www.tyingtheknotthemovie.com. Finally, writer and performer Kayhan will bring her program "We've Come Undone," a show exploring the impact on women and children of post-9/11 legislation and executive actions, including the USA PATRIOT Act. For additional information go to www.singlefilechicago.com. |
|
