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Home » E-newsletter » Archives » December 15, 2004
December 15, 2004 ACLU of Illinois E-News 12.15.04 Make Your Voice Heard on FBI Spying In the last edition, we reported to you that the ACLU of Illinois acted on behalf of several local religious and political organizations to file federal Freedom of Information Act requests, seeking any information about the organizations gathered by the FBI as part of surveillance of the organizations. The organizations adn individuals upon whose behalf the ACLU is acting reflect a broad coaltion, including the local affiliates of legal organizations, groups committed to serving the Muslim and Arab population in Chicago, and local peace and justice coalitions. While this process is moving forward, the ACLU National Legislative Office is giving ACLU supporters an opportunity to speak out on spying. To send a free fax to your representatives in Congress telling them that you oppose spying on free speech activities, go to http://www.aclu.org/FreeSpeech/FreeSpeech.cfm?ID=17205&c=42. ACLU Case Against Department of Defense Continues to Receive Attention In the last two editions of the E-news, we reported to you on a settlement the ACLU of Illinois reached with the Department of Defense, in which the Pentagon promised to end the practice of its units directly sponsoring Boy Scout troops, troops that require a religious affiliation for youth to participate. Direct sponsorship resulted in Department of Defense officials acting in their official capacity administering religious oaths to young participant s. The case continues to draw attention from national and local media. Just this week, ACLU attorney Adam Schwartz taped an interview with FOX News Channel on this case. The piece is set to run on Thursday, December 16th. Next Town Hall meeting on Same Sex Marriage Scheduled for Springfield in January The ACLU of Illinois will sponsor the next in a series of town hall meetings on same-sex marriage, programs titled Leave No Family Behind, in Springfield on Wednesday, January 19, 2005. The program will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Brookins Auditorium at the University of Illinois at Springfield. Please plan to attend. These meetings have been well-attended and well-received. A Great Response to those who think we need to "Save" Christmas We reported last time that a local Chicago law firm has sent a memo to hundreds of school district, as part of their self-described effort to "save Christmas from the ACLU." The law firm has aggressively marketed their efforts, leading to some media attention. some of that attention may have backfired -- for example, Eric Zorn's December 7th column in the Chicago Tribune took on the assertion that the ACLU does not protect religious liberty. You can read Eric's column by going to http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ericzorn/chi-0412070168dec07,0,5304970.column?coll=chi-news-col. (Please note; registration is required for this article.) Need that perfect, last minute Gift? How About an ACLU Membership? Know someone depressed about the election results? How about the "gift of liberty?" The ACLU of Illinois is offering a special gift membership that may be perfect of those "hard to buy for" persons on your holiday list. To learn more, go to http://www.aclu-il.org/membership/gift.shtml. |
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