Bill of Rights Feted in Chicago
The 2006 Bill of Rights Celebration for the ACLU of Illinois proved to be a big hit on Saturday, September 30th. More than 625 civil liberties' supporters from across the State of Illinois gathered at the Hyatt Regency to celebrate a fabulous roster of award honorees and hear remarks from U.S. Senator Richard Durbin, who reminded the audience the our work is more critical today than ever before. We thank all the supporters, attendees and honorees for making the event so special.



Can You Help Our Friends in Wisconsin?
This election year, voters in Wisconsin will be faced with an amendment to change the state constitution to ban marriage for same-sex couples - as well as to prevent ALL unmarried couples, gay or straight, from accessing the protections that come with civil unions and domestic partnership. If enacted, this marriage and civil unions ban would seriously endanger existing legal protections for all unmarried couples, gay or straight, including:



Standing with our neighbors in Wisconsin will make an important statement to policymakers in our own state - as well as send an important message nationwide that the Midwest is no place for singling out couples for discrimination. Please join the ACLU of Wisconsin and the Fair Wisconsin campaign to take a stand for fairness. Your volunteer time or donations would help us reach other fair-minded voters like you. To learn more about the campaign - and the 200 rights, responsibilities and protections that would be denied to Wisconsin families if this constitutional ban on civil unions and marriage is passed, visit: www.fairwisconsin.com.



Validating Torture
We were troubled last week to see first the U.S. House of Representatives and then the United States Senate vote to approve the President's unconstitutional system of military tribunals. The legislation provided the Bush Administration a literal "get out of jail free" card, immunizing officials for any violations of law in the treatment of detainees since September 11, 2001. Moreover, the law allows our court's to be stripped of the traditional role in reviewing detentions and allows federal authorities to convict someone based on evidence garnered during physical abuse. You can read more about the legislation at http://www.aclu.org/safefree/detention/26947prs20060928.html.



Supreme Court Term Opens
The Supreme Court of the United States opened the 2006 term this week, a term in which the Court will continue a number of civil liberties issues including freedom of choice, education and national security. You can read a preview of the term at http://www.aclu.org/scotus/2006term/26794prs20060920.html.