================= README ================= * Civil Liberty Archive [part of the Computers and Academic Freedom (CAF) Archive [part of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Archive]] This is an on-line collection of civil liberty statements. It includes Briefing Papers from the American Civil Liberties Union. (The ACLU material is made available by permission of the American Civil Liberties Union) If you have gopher, the archive is browsable with the command: gopher -p academic/civil-liberty gopher.eff.org The archive is also accessible via anonymous ftp and email. Ftp to ftp.eff.org (192.77.172.4). It is in directory "pub/academic/civil-liberty". To get the file(s) by email, send email to ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com. In the body of your note include the lines: connect ftp.eff.org cd /pub/CAF/civil-liberty get get where is the name of a file that you want. File README is a detailed description of the items in the directory. For more information, to make contributions, or to report typos contact J.S. Greenfield (greeny@eff.org). ================= README.subject-index ================= * Subject Index for Civil Liberty Archive ================= aclu.aclu ================= * Guardian of Liberty: American Civil Liberties Union -- ACLU Briefing Paper #1 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Contents: The ACLU Mandate What rights are guaranteed in the Bill of Rights? A Brief History How the ACLU Chooses Its Cases How the ACLU Works The Financial Picture ================= aclu.history ================= * A History of the ACLU -- Ira Glasser Speech A transcript of a speech by Ira Glasser (ACLU national director, at the time), before the National Press Club, Washington, DC. on October 6, 1988. The speech details the history of the ACLU and its work. ================= aclu.membership-form ================= * 1992 ACLU Membership Form A reproduction of the 1992 ACLU membership form. ================= aclu.misc ================= * Miscellaneous Comments on ACLU Policies Some information and comments on various ACLU policies. ================= affirmative-action.aclu ================= * Affirmative Action -- ACLU Briefing Paper #17 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: Isn't affirmative action essentially a quota system? Affirmative action has existed since the 1960s. How successful has it been? Isn't affirmative action "reverse discrimination" against white men? Why should someone's race or gender be made an issue in jobs or education anyway? But is it right to fire white male workers and give their jobs to racial minorities or women? Don't affirmative action remedies force firms to employ unqualified workers, or universities to accept incompetent students, simply because they happen to be non-white or female? Doesn't affirmative action breed a sense of inferiority in its beneficiaries? Do affirmative action policies benefit our whole society, and if so, how? ================= aids.aclu ================= * AIDS and Civil-Liberties -- ACLU Briefing Paper #13 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: What is "HIV" and what is "AIDS"? What are the facts about how HIV spreads? Can HIV disease be cured? Doesn't HIV mainly afflict gay men and drug addicts? To stop the spread of HIV, shouldn't the government require all citizens to be tested? But why shouldn't the government provide lists of people who test positive for HIV? Does the law protect the rights of people with HIV disease? How do these anti-discrimination laws work? But shouldn't employers be able to fire people with HIV disease? Don't HIV-infected health care workers pose enough of a risk to their patients to be prohibited from working? Shouldn't school children with HIV disease be kept home? Have the courts enforced these principles in cases involving discrimination against people with HIV disease? Wouldn't the distribution of clean needles and condoms promote drug use and promiscuity? Should laws be enacted to punish those who deliberately try to spread HIV disease? Should suspected or convicted rapists be forced to take HIV tests? Shouldn't the government censor education about HIV on the ground that it's obscene? ================= amendment2.co.usa ================= Be it Enacted by the People of the State of Colorado: Article 2, of the Colorado Constitution is amended by the addition of Section 30, which shall state as follows: NO PROTECTION STATUS BASED ON HOMOSEXUAL, LESBIAN, OR BISEXUAL ORIENTATION. Neither the State of Colorado, through any of its branches or departments, nor any of its agencies, political subdivisions, municipalities or school districts, shall enact, adopt or enforce any statute, regulation, ordinance or policy whereby homosexual, lesbian or bisexual orientation, conduct, practices or relationships shall constitute or otherwise be the basis of, or entitle any person or class of persons to have or claim any minority status, quota preferences, protected status or claim of discrimination. This Section of the Constitution shall be in all respects self-executing. ================= anti-censorship.addr ================= * Addresses for Anti-Censorship Organizations Addresses for a number of organizations interested in censorship issues. ================= artistic-freedom.aclu ================= * Artistic Freedom -- ACLU Briefing Paper #14 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: What protects the work of artists from government censorship? When and how did the threat to artistic freedom emerge in this country? How has the Supreme Court dealt with sexually explicit expression? Why does the ACLU object to the obscenity exception to the First Amendment? But don't obscene and pornographic works cause anti-social and even violent behavior? Even if the government can't suppress art, surely it shouldn't use tax monies to fund art that offends!? Why does the ACLU object to movie ratings, music labeling, or other voluntary rating systems? Don't they give guidance to consumers, especially parents? But mustn't we protect our children from inappropriate messages and images, especially graphic sex and violence? Defending artists is fine, but why does the ACLU spend time and money defending pornographers and sleaze merchants? ================= baehr-v-lewin ================= * Hawaiian Gay Marriage Decision The following is a copy of the Hawaiian State Court decision to allow legal homosexual marriages under state law. It is long. The text included the majority opinion, concurrances, and dissent along with footnotes. ================= bill-of-rights.history.aclu ================= * A History of the Bill of Rights -- ACLU Briefing Paper #9 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Contents: The Origins Of Liberty The Constitutional Convention Ratification Of The Constitution The First Congress Ratification Of The Bill Of Rights Rights Declared, But Justice Denied The Fourth Branch ================= broadcast-regulation ================= Evidence that contrary to conventional wisdom, FCC-style regulation was placed on broadcasters not because it was needed to avoid radio interference, but because the broadcasters wanted government-protected monopolies and because politicians wanted guaranteed access to the airwaves. ================= campaign-92.aclu ================= * Campaign for the Bill of Rights '92 -- ACLU [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] The American Civil Liberties Union's planks for its "Campaign for the Bill of Rights '92". The planks are 1) a national campaign against bigotry and racism, 2) constitutional protection for a woman's right to choose, 3) a realistic approach to crime and punishment, 4) a Bill of Rights for all working people. ================= campus-hate-speech.aclu ================= * Hate Speech on Campus -- ACLU Briefing Paper #16 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: I just can't understand why the ACLU defends free speech for racists, sexists, homophobes and other bigots. Why tolerate the promotion of intolerance? I have the impression that the ACLU spends more time and money defending the rights of bigots than supporting the victims of bigotry!!?? Aren't some kinds of communication not protected under the First Amendment, like "fighting words?" What about nonverbal symbols, like swastikas and burning crosses -- are they constitutionally protected? Aren't speech codes on college campuses an effective way to combat bias against people of color, women and gays? But don't speech codes send a strong message to campus bigots, telling them their views are unacceptable? Does the ACLU make a distinction between speech and conduct? Well, given that speech codes are a threat to the First Amendment, and given the importance of equal opportunity in education, what type of campus policy on hate speech would the ACLU support? ================= censorship.history.usa ================= @BOOK{de:grazia::edward, Author = "De Grazia, Edward", Title = "Girls lean back everywhere: the law of obscenity and the assault on genius", Edition = "1st", Publisher = "Random House", Address = "New York", Year = "1992", COL = "xvi, 814 p. ;$25 cm.", NOB = "Includes bibliographical references (p. :773:-781) and index.", SBN = "039457611X :$$$30.00 FPT U.S.A. ($$37.50 Canad)", LON = "(WaOLN)8909639", LON = "ocm22707937", CAL00 = "KF4775$.D44 1992", DDCFL = "344.73/0547$347.304547$20", Subject = "Censorship--United States; Law and literature; Obscenity (Law)--United States", Notes = "On-line review includes timeline" } ================= censorship.survey ================= * Censorship of Books at Public Schools -- Survey Results This article summarizes the findings of the tenth annual survey on book censorship in public schools, conducted by the People for the American Way. The survey found the number of challenges (and successful challenges) of books to be at a ten-year high. ================= child-porn.can.128 ================= * Expression -- Child Porn -- Canada -- Forum 128 An online version of a flyer concerning the new Canadian laws on child pornography. It was created by Forum 128 is a national research project into the Canadian sex panic. ================= church-and-state.aclu ================= * Church and State -- ACLU Briefing Paper #3 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: Were people free to practice their religious beliefs in colonial times? Does the phrase "separation of church and state" actually appear in the constitution? Our nation was founded by religious individuals, and some manifestations of the religious aspects of our history and culture are inevitable. So what does separation mean exactly? Is prayer in public schools constitutional if it is optional? Can children pray in school at all? Why can't schools be required by law to teach the biblical theory of the earth's origins-- "creationism"--in addition to teaching evolution? If students can meet on school grounds in extra-curricular political or social groups, can't they also meet in religious groups? Since religious day schools are educating the children of taxpayers, can't the government assist those schools? Religious facilities sometimes house services like daycare and foster care for the general public. Is it constitutional for those programs to receive government funds? Why does the ACLU oppose religious displays on public property during the Christmas season? If the government cannot be involved with religion, does that mean the clergy cannot speak out on political issues? Should the Catholic Church lose its tax exempt status because its officials are involved in lobbying against abortion and birth control? Are members of religious "cults" also protected by the Establishment Clause? Can individuals whose religious beliefs conflict with certain laws receive special consideration from government? ================= civil-liberty-index ================= * About the Civil Liberty Index mailing list A description of the civil-liberty-index mailing list. It is a moderated list for the distribution of indexes of "newsy" civil liberties articles. All the articles are from Netnews, most are from ClariNet's commerical UPI service. To read the UPI articles, you need access to ClariNet. ================= civil-liberty-resources ================= * Selected Internet Civil Liberty Resources (v. 1.6) A list of newsgroups, mailing lists, ftp archives, and WWW sites of interest to civil libertarians. ================= colorado.amend2.decision ================= * Colorado Amendment 2 Decision The last two sections of the Colorado Supreme Court's decision regarding Colorado Amendment 2, restricting the anti-discrimination rights of homosexuals. ================= colorado.amend2.pointer ================= * Pointer to information on Colorado's Amendment 2 There's a whole directory full of information on the Colorado Boycott and Amendment 2. It's in /pub/QRD/qrd/rights/colorado at vector.intercon.com. ================= crime.aclu ================= * Crime and Civil Liberties -- ACLU Briefing Paper #2 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: Why should criminals enjoy special rights at the expense of the rest of us? Aren't constitutional technicalities like the Miranda warnings and the exclusionary rule responsible for letting violent criminals go free? Shouldn't criminal defendants be locked up before trial so they won't commit more crimes while free on bail? Instead of being soft on criminals, shouldn't judges impose stiffer sentences so that people will think twice before committing a crime? If the sentence is death, even a hardened criminal might not want to take chances--so shouldn't we execute more people to deter would-be murderers? What about the victims of crime -- don't they have rights too? What can be done about crime that doesn't violate our constitutional rights? ================= death-penalty.aclu ================= * The Death Penalty -- ACLU Briefing Paper #8 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: Doesn't the death penalty deter crime, especially murder? Don't murderers _deserve_ to die? If execution is unacceptable, what is the alternative? Isn't the death penalty necessary as just retribution for victims' families? Have strict procedures eliminated discrimination in death sentencing? Only the worst criminals get sentenced to death, right? Does the law permit execution of juveniles and people who are mentally retarded or mentally ill? ================= declaration_of_the_rights_of_man.txt ================= * Declaration of the Rights of Man of the Citizne As approved by the National Assembly of France, August 26, 1789. ================= drug-info.pointer ================= * Drug information resources pointer ================= drug-testing.workplace.aclu ================= * Drug Testing in the Workplace -- ACLU Briefing Paper #5 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: Don't employers have the right to expect their employees not to be high on drugs on the job? Can urine tests determine precisely when a particular drug was used? If you don't use drugs, you have nothing to hide--so why object to testing? Are drug tests reliable? Still, isn't universal testing the best way to catch drug users? But shouldn't exceptions be made for certain workers, such as airline pilots, who are responsible for the lives of others? Drug use costs industry millions in lost worker productivity each year. Don't employers have a right to test as a way of protecting their investment? Have any courts ruled that mandatory urine testing of government employees is a violation of the constitution? If the constitution can't help them, how can private employees protect themselves against drug testing? ================= due-process.k12.aclu ================= * Your Right to Due Process -- ACLU "Sybil Liberty Briefer" [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: What are my rights if I'm about to be suspended? Do I have the right to a hearing every time my principal or teacher wants to punish me? Doesn't the school have to let me know what I've been accused of before suspending or expelling me? What can I be suspended for, anyway? What if a cop or a teacher starts grilling me in school -- do I have to answer their questions? What if I'm stopped by the police outside of school? I'm under 18. What happens if I'm arrested? Isn't it illegal for a teacher to hit me? ================= employee-rights.aclu ================= * Rights of Employees -- ACLU Briefing Paper #12 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: If the Constitution doesn't apply to the private workplace, what does? Are there _any_ laws that protect employees' rights? Does the employment-at-will doctrine apply to all employees? What can be done about the problem of unjust dismissals? Can employers legally search their employees' lockers, desks and urine looking for contraband? What can be done to protect the privacy rights of employees? Can employers discriminate on the basis of employees' lifestyles? What can be done to prevent lifestyle discrimination? Should employers ever have the right to discipline their employees? But wouldn't recognition of liberties in the workplace damage the American economy? ================= english-only.aclu ================= * "English Only" -- ACLU Briefing Paper #6 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: What is an "English Only" law? Where have such laws been enacted? What are the consequences of "English Only" laws? Do "English Only" laws affect only government services and programs? Who is affected by "English Only" laws? How do "English Only" laws deprive people of their rights? What kinds of language policies were adopted with regard to past generations of immigrants? Why are bilingual ballots needed since citizenship is required to vote, English literacy is required for citizenship, and political campaigns are largely conducted in English? Doesn't bilingual education slow immigrant children's learning of English, in contrast to the "sink or swim" method used in the past? But won't "English Only" laws speed up the assimilation of today's immigrants into our society and prevent their isolation? ================= equal-treatment.k12.aclu ================= * Your Right to Equal Treatment -- ACLU "Sybil Liberty Briefer" [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: Sybil, the coach wouldn't let me join the soccer team just because I'm a girl. Can he do that? I'm gay and I want to bring a guy, as my date, to the senior prom. Can school officials say no to that? What if I'm pregnant, Sybil? Can I be kept out of school? I truly believe my teacher gives me a hard time just because I'm a person of color. Is there anything I can do to change that? I tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Do I have the right to be treated the same as other students? My school uses a tracking system, and most of the kids in the bottom tracks are from poor and minority families. Isn't that discrimination? Can I challenge my placement in a particular track? I'm not an American citizen. Do I have the same constitutional rights citizens have? ================= faq.pointer ================= * Pointer to Civil Liberties FAQ An article by Jyrki Kuoppala with an outline of an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions w/ Answers) for civil liberities. Includes information about a civil liberties gopher. ================= free-expression.k12.aclu ================= * Your Right to Free Expression -- ACLU "Sybil Liberty Briefer" [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: Sybil, you mean I can speak my mind *in school*? Some friends of mine and I want to hand out copies of a newspaper we put together -- our own paper. Can we do that? You mean if I wanted to publish an article in the school paper that calls for sex education and condom distribution, or an article on drug abuse, I might have a problem? Suppose one of my teachers is always late to class; he makes insulting remarks to us; he's halfhearted about his work, and I don't like it. Can I write about him in the school paper? Can I wear buttons or other non-verbal symbols in school to express what I think? Can I dress or wear my hair any way I want when I'm at school? Can I be forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance? Can I pray in school? My school library doesn't have certain books because my principal thinks they're "inappropriate" for us. Is that censorship? Sybil, you mean I can speak my mind *in school*? Some friends of mine and I want to hand out copies of a newspaper we put together -- our own paper. Can we do that? You mean if I wanted to publish an article in the school paper that calls for sex education and condom distribution, or an article on drug abuse, I might have a problem? Suppose one of my teachers is always late to class; he makes insulting remarks to us; he's halfhearted about his work, and I don't like it. Can I write about him in the school paper? Can I wear buttons or other non-verbal symbols in school to express what I think? Can I dress or wear my hair any way I want when I'm at school? Can I be forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance? Can I pray in school? My school library doesn't have certain books because my principal thinks they're "inappropriate" for us. Is that censorship? ================= freedom-of-expression.aclu ================= * Freedom of Expression -- ACLU Briefing Paper #10 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: What were the philosophical underpinnings of the First Amendment's guarantees? Why does freedom of expression play such a critical role in our constitutional system? What was the early history of the First Amendment and freedom of expression? How did the courts respond to First Amendment violations? What forms of expression are protected by the First Amendment? Can speech be curtailed if it is thought to jeopardize national security? Why should racists and other hatemongers, or those espousing anti-democratic political doctrines, have free speech rights? Can free speech be limited in any way? Are any forms of expression not protected by the First Amendment? Is freedom of expression in danger today? ================= freedom.essay ================= * Essay on the Freedoms Protected by the Bill of Rights An essay by Richard Criley of the Bill of Rights Foundation, examining the security of freedom in the United States. The essay discusses systematic abuses of freedom that occurred during the last half-century. ================= gun-control.aclu ================= * ACLU Policy #47 on Gun Control ================= hr1985-s333 ================= Text of H.R. 1985 (related to S. 333), the so-called 'Fairness in Broadcasting Act of 1993.' ================= human-rights.pointer ================= * Pointer to human rights documents A pointer to human rights documents available via telnet and dialup. ================= human-rights.un ================= * Universal Declaration of Human Rights -- United Nations The full text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 1948. ================= in-god-we-trust ================= * Information on "In God We Trust" Some information on the adoption of "In God We Trust" for United States currency. ================= kiddie-porn ================= * National Writers Union commentary on child pornography A National Writers Union commentary on anti-child pornography crusading and enforcement in the United States. ================= lie-detectors.aclu ================= * Lie Detector Testing -- ACLU Briefing Paper #4 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: What does the Employee Polygraph Protection Act do? Are there and exceptions to the ban on "lie detectors"? Does the EPPA protect those employees who are tested from the worst abuses and misuses of the "lie detector" test? Who has access to "lie detector" test results? What effect does the EPPA have on existing state and local laws? How can I assert my rights under the EPPA? Since the EPPA does not cover government employees, what protection do they have from "lie detector" abuse? In the wake of the EPPA, are employers devising other methods for detecting employee dishonesty? If employers cannot use "lie detectors," what can they do to combat employee dishonesty and theft? ================= lifestyle-and-work.aclu ================= * Lifestyle Discrimination in the Workplace -- ACLU Briefing Paper #19 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: What causes employers to engage in lifestyle discrimination? Who is affected by lifestyle discrimination? Why shouldn't employers be allowed to keep their costs down by hiring employees who won't generate high medical bills? Why shouldn't employers be able to restrict their employees' "high-risk" activities? Can't employers just charge a premium to employees whose activities raise the cost of health insurance? What is the ACLU doing about it? Isn't this creating a "civil right" to drink and smoke? Isn't the ACLU just fronting for the tobacco lobby? ================= mandatory-minimums ================= * Mandatory Minimum Sentencing for Drug Offenses Information on mandatory minimum sentencing, and efforts to repeal it. ================= mapserv.pointer ================= * Pointer to MAPServ email server A pointer to the MAPServ email server for the misc.activism.progressive library. ================= mill,_john_stuart ================= * John Stuart Mill on Censorship A brief excerpt from _On Liberty_. ================= order-form.k12.aclu ================= * About Sybil Liberty and Ordering Information -- ACLU [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] ================= pledge.history ================= * A History of the Pledge of Allegiance An essay by John W. Baer examining the origins of the Pledge of Allegiance and the history of its introduction into public schools. It reports, among other things, that 'The phrase, "Under God," was added by Congress and President Eisenhower in 1954 at the urging of the Knights of Columbus'. ================= pop-music.aclu ================= * Popular Music Under Siege -- ACLU Briefing Paper #21 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: What's wrong with voluntary labeling? Isn't it, like movie rating, a harmless way to give parents consumer information that can help them make intelligent choices for their kids? What about government labeling or classification of music lyrics? What about laws that keep music with antisocial, misogynistic or violent messages away from minors -- doesn't society have an obligation to protect kids? But what if someone listens to "Cop Killer" and then murders a police officer? Don't lyrics that deal with sex, violence, drug use, suicide, etc. cause anti-social behavior? ================= privacy-bibliography ================= * Stacy Veeder's bibliography on privacy ================= privacy.k12.aclu ================= * Your Right to Privacy -- ACLU "Sybil Liberty Briefer" [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: Sybil, what if I'm just hanging out in the hall and a teacher tells me to empty out my pockets. Do I have to do it? You mean teachers can't search every student in a class because they think some of us have drugs? What about a strip search? What about the police -- can they search me on the school grounds? Can my locker be searched? Can my school make me take a blood or urine test to find out if I use drugs, or a breathalyzer test for alcohol? Can my school use metal detectors to check for weapons? Sybil, you said my right to privacy includes the freedom to make certain decisions about my body -- like deciding whether to have sex or have babies. Can you tell me where to go for a pregnancy test, medical care if I'm pregnant or an abortion? Can I get birth control supplies without my parents being told? Would my parents and boyfriend have to be told if I decided to get an abortion? Suppose I want to be tested for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Can I get tested without my parents knowing? Does *anyone* have to know? ================= queer-resources.pointer ================= * Pointer to the Queer Resources Directory Pointer to a source for information on gay rights issues. ================= racial-justice.aclu ================= * Racial Justice -- ACLU Briefing Paper #11 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Discusses these topics: The Slave Codes Emancipation and the Black Codes Reconstruction Reconstruction Spurned The Supreme Court Acquiesces The Winds of Change Brown And Its Aftermath A Second Reconstruction The Backlash Will The Supreme Court Acquiesce Again? A New Civil Rights Act ================= religion.k12.aclu ================= * Your Right to Religious Freedom -- ACLU "Sybil Liberty Briefer" [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: Sybil, Can teachers start off the school day with a prayer, a reading from the scriptures or a moment of silence? Can my school invite a member of the clergy to give a nonsectarian prayer at graduation? Is it constitutional if students vote to have a student-led prayer at graduation? Could my school hold a separate graduation event, like a baccalaureate, for students who want to pray? Is it ever okay to pray in school? Other than the standards you mentioned before, is there anything else school officials can turn to for constitutional guidance regarding religion? My school often holds holiday parties. Is that constitutional? Some people distribute Bibles at my school every year. Is that constitutional? Can I organize a Bible club at school? ================= reproductive-freedom.aclu ================= * Reproductive Freedom -- ACLU Briefing Paper #15 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: How does the Constitution protect our right to privacy, including reproductive freedom, if that right isn't explicitly named in the Constitution? Is reproductive choice protected by constitutional principles other than the right to privacy? Have restrictions on abortion always existed? Shouldn't the abortion question be left to state legislatures, or voted on by the people in referenda? Do abortion bans also outlaw birth control? Why are poor women and women of color especially hurt by anti-choice laws? Why shouldn't the government be able to force a woman to carry a pregnancy to term for the sake of a fetus? Shouldn't pregnant women who drink or use other drugs be prosecuted for "child abuse"? Why do laws that require parental involvement in a minor's abortion decision infringe upon fundamental rights? In what ways have the opponents of choice attacked the right to choose abortion and birth control? What can I do to help protect reproductive choice? ================= reproductive-freedom.minors.aclu ================= * Reproductive Freedom: The Rights of Minors -- ACLU Briefing Paper #7 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: How many states have passed laws that restrict teenagers' access to abortion? How do these laws work? What's the difference between a consent and a notification law? What's wrong with parental notification or consent laws? Whatever parents' reactions might be, it's _their_ daughter--so don't they have the right to be involved? What types of family situations lead teenagers to seek a confidential abortion? Can a teenager, suddenly faced with the choice between childbirth and abortion, really make a responsible decision? Don't laws restricting abortion also contain alternatives for mature minors or those who fear parental reprisals? Aren't legal delays justified when a teenager might risk physical and emotional harm by having an abortion? What are the consequences, besides increased health risks, of restricting teens' access to abortion? Do restrictions on minors affect the reproductive choices of other women? What can be done to provide genuine help for teenagers and, thus, reduce their need for abortion? ================= sexual-harassment.aclu-il ================= * Sexual Harassment Policy of the ACLU of Illinois A brief description of how the ACLU of Illinois's policy on sexual harassment law differs from that of the National ACLU. ================= student-papers.advisors ================= Expression -- Student Papers -- Advisors Some suggestions for the proper role of advisors to student newspapers. ================= subjection-of-women ================= Fulltext of: Mill, John Stuart, 1806-1873. The subjection of women, by John Stuart Mill. London, Longmans, Green, Reader and Dyer, 1869. 1. Women--Social and moral questions 2. Women's rights I. Title. From "gopher -p1/info/Teaching/WomensStudies info.umd.edu 901" ================= top.art.censors.1992 ================= * Top Art Censors of 1992 An article reporting the ACLU's list of the "1992 Arts Censors of the Year." The list cites governmental officials and private individuals, including: Anne-Imelda Radice (chair of the NEA), Oliver North, Catharine MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin, and The Rev. Donald Wildmon, head of the American Family Association. ================= tv-content-reg ================= A list of government content-regulations on broadcast TV and radio, including: so-called indecency, so-called personal attacks, political editorials, political advertising. ================= tv-violence.nwu ================= * National Writer's Union statement on TV violence ================= un.covenant.civil-rights ================= * INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS The full text of the United Nations INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS (1976). ================= unjust-firings.aclu ================= * Unjust Firings -- ACLU Briefing Paper #20 [To visit the ACLU gopher, try: "gopher aclu.org 6601"] Answers these questions: How widespread is the problem of unjust firings? Why is this a civil liberties issue? What can be done to stop unjust firings? Is arbitration better than litigation? Does union membership protect workers from unjust firings? Aren't there already federal laws that protect the rights of workers? Would compliance with an unjust discharge law be too burdensome for employers, and if so wouldn't the profits and competitiveness of American companies be adversely affected? Doesn't unemployment insurance adequately compensate workers who lose their jobs? Wouldn't an unjust discharge law create a statutory right to a job? Would this statute prohibit employers from laying off workers or closing plants for economic reasons? In the past, unfairly treated workers have sued their employers, claiming personal injury or breach of contract. Why aren't these traditional avenues of relief enough? ================= women-against-censorship ================= * Women Against Censorship -- Excerpts Edited by Varda Burstyn. Douglas & McIntyre Limited, 1985. ================= womens-rights.1848 ================= * Declaration of Sentiments from 1st Women's Rights Convention in the U.S. It was held in Seneca Falls, New York, the nineteenth and twentieth of July, 1848. Among the famous who signed are Elizabeth Cady Stanton, whose home in Seneca Falls is now part of the Women's Rights National Park, and Frederick Douglass. ================= ================= Last update Fri May 3 18:13:16 PDT 1996