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Home » E-newsletter » Archives » April 29, 2005
April 29, 2005 ACLU of Illinois E-News 4.29.05 ACLU and American Friends Service Committee Seek Chicago Police Files on Infiltration The ACLU joined with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) on Monday to ask a federal court to release files related to the infiltration of the AFSC during planning for public demonstrations that took place in Chicago during a major international business meeting in 2002. Ironically, even as police officers were spying on meetings hosted by the AFSC, that group's leadership was meeting with top police officials making certain they'd know about the plans for the demonstration - -ensuring the safety and security of everyone involved. For more than a year, the AFSC and ACLU have sought the files related to the infiltration activity. The City first failed to respond, then said the files had been destroyed, and finally said that some part of the file had been produced in separate litigation. Confused? You can read more about the action at http://www.aclu-il.org/news/press/000274.shtml. Finally - the Long Awaited (Real) Debate on the Patriot Act has Begun Back in October 2001, less than 45 days after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Congress passed and the President signed the USA PATRIOT Act. There was little real debate and almost no analysis of the impact of the act on our most cherished constitutional principles -- the system of checks and balances that protects all of us as Americans. This "fast track" blurred the harmful provisions of the Patriot Act -- including the broad authority for federal law enforcement officials to conduct secret searches and the ability of federal authorities to seize a wide range of materials about an individual without any individualized evidence that the person is suspected of any criminal activity, let alone terrorism. Because Congress required that some of the provisions would have to be renewed by the end of 2005, the real debate over the Patriot Act finally has begun. The ACLU's view of this debate was captured in an April 25th letter in the Chicago Tribune, in which Executive Director Colleen Connell responded to a column in the Tribune that downplayed our great concerns about the Patriot Act. You can read Colleen's letter at http://www.aclu-il.org/news/press/000273.shtml. Also, we recently were pleased to see the introduction of the Security and Freedom Ensured Act (or SAFE) in the House and Senate. SAFE fixes the most egregious aspects of the Patriot Act. One of the primary sponsors of the bipartisan legislation in the Senate is Dick Durbin, and Barack Obama is a co-sponsor. Earlier this week, Congressman Tim Johnson announced that he would co-sponsor the legislation in the U.S. House. Where is the Accountability? A Year After Release of Abu Ghraib Photos only Low Level Military Personnel Disciplined This week marks a sad anniversary -- the one-year anniversary of the release of the photographs of cruel abuse at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. While all of us were horrified by the photos, it is even more troubling that more than a year later, only low-level staff have been punished for these abuses. The ACLU has called on the Attorney General to appoint a special counsel to investigate the scandal. This call comes after the ACLU reviewed more than 30,000 pages of documents in a FOIA lawsuit -- documents that demonstrate that abuse of detainees was widespread in Iraq, Guantanamo and elsewhere in the "war on terror." You can read more about the ACLU's views as we mark this anniversary at http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=18128&c=206. Public Discussion about Marriage Moves to Naperville The next in a series of panel discussions on equal access to the benefits guaranteed by marriage will take place on the campus of North Central College in Naperville on Wednesday, May 4th. The discussion, featuring same-sex couples talking about the daily obstacles they face owing to the current marriage laws, will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the White Activities Center, 325 East Benton Street in Naperville. If you are interested in more information about this event, email us at ACLUofIllinois@aclu-il.org. March with the ACLU in the Gay Pride Parade The Chicago Pride Parade will take place on Sunday, June 26th. March with the ACLU! We always have a great time, and everyone is welcome. All ACLU marchers receive a FREE ACLU T-SHIRT! Interested? E-mail ysotelo@aclu-il.org. |
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