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Home » E-newsletter » Archives » January 24, 2005
January 24, 2005 ACLU of Illinois E-News 1.24.05 New Year Begins with GREAT News from Springfield The new year is off to a great start -- on January 11th, the Illinois House passed and sent to Governor Blagojevich Senate Bill 3186 (previously known as Senate Bill 101). The measure, which the Governor signed into law on January 21st, ends one of the last forms of sanctioned discrimination in our state by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of classes protected under Illinois' Human Rights Act. The measure had been a legislative priority of the ACLU of Illinois for more than two decades -- so this mars a very special achievement. You can read the statement of John Kight, ACLU of Illinois Lesbian and Gay Rights/AIDS and Civil Liberties Project Director by clicking http://www.aclu-il.org/news/press/000233.shtml. ACLU Marks 32nd Anniversary of Roe v. Wade Decision Sunday, January 23rd marked the 32nd anniverary of the historic Roe v. Wade decision, the decision that made abortion decisions largely a private matter between a woman and her physician. The ACLU of Illinois is on guard against the on-going and relentless attacks against reproductive rights in our nation. ACLU of Illinois Reproductive Rights Project Director Lorie Chaiten takes on a central theme of many of these attacks -- moral values -- in an opinion piece distributed in conjunction with the Roe anniversary. You can read the piece -- it should be posted shortly -- at http://www.aclu-il.org. ACLU Responds to Governor's Proposal to Bar Sale of Video Games In mid-December, we reported to you that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich announced a legislative initiative to ban the sale of some video games to minors under the age of 18. The Governor aims to block the sale of videos that are "violent" or "sexually-explicit" in nature. The Governor captured his arguments in an opinion piece that appeared in the Chicago Sun Times. The ACLU of Illinois submitted a letter in response to the Governor's letter . You can download and read the letter on our website at http://www.aclu-il.org/news/press/000234.shtml. Join the ACLU at an Upcoming Event Please come join the ACLU of Illinois for two upcoming events -- first, the ACLU is co-sponsoring a special theatrical event on Sunday, June 30th. The event is a special presentation by Silk Road Theatre Project of their powerful post-9/11 drama, Back of the Throat. The play features two government officials paying a visit to an Arab-American, and the "friendly" inquiry quickly escalates. This special event takes place on Sunday, January 30th, beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the Chicago Temple, First United Methodist Church, located at 77 West Washington Street in Chicago. The ACLU of Illinois will have a table with information about our work and activities at the event. You can find out more information at www.srtp.org. In February, Rachel King, State Campaign Coordinator for the ACLU's Capital Punishment Project, will read excerpts from her new book, Capital Consequences: Families of the Condemned Tell Their Stories. The event will take place at Women & Children First, located at 5233 North Clark Street in Chicago. You can get more information by calling (202) 675-2319. |
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