Hi there ACLU followers! My name is Sophie Raffel and I’m a summer high school intern here at the ACLU of Maine. I am a rising senior at Waynflete School and I can’t imagine a better way to spend my summer than here at the ACLU of Maine offices, on the ground floor of some of the most important debates over policy, freedom and our rights as Americans, both as Mainers and citizens of the Unites States. I was born in the city Guangzhou in southern China but I’ve lived in Portland all my life. | continue reading

This weekend the ACLU of Maine marched in the Southern Maine Pride Parade, and we couldn't have had a better time. The weather was gorgeous, the crowd was passionate, and our contingent of marchers had a great time showing their pride and waving at the many well-wishers that lined the streets of downtown Portland.
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Today, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously invalidated patents on two genes associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Public Patent Foundation.
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The votes are in from the Maine House --- we protected a woman's right to privacy, her right to choose. 

Here are the votes:

1) LD 1193, An Act to Allow a Wrongful Death Cause of Action for the Death of an Unborn Child

Final Vote: 82 to 60, the majority Ought Not To Pass Motion carries

2) LD 760, An Act Regarding Informed Consent to an Abortion

Final Vote: 90 to 53, the majority Ought Not to Pass Motion carries
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I'm sitting in the gallery of the Maine House right now - it's almost 5:00 and I plan to be here for several more hours. 

I think about the choices I've made in the last several weeks as I've testified before the Judiciary Committee, helped prepare others to testify, spoken with members of the media and members of our legislature. 
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The State of Maine Department of Corrections' standards for county jails require that prisoners have the opportunity to have contact visits with family and loved ones--an opportunity to look at a child's face or hold a parent's hand. There are a number of reasons for this policy: human contact is a basic human right, and encouraging prisoners to maintain ties to family reduces the likelihood that they will re-offend. | continue reading

Another school year is in the books, and for the ACLU of Maine it was our busiest ever. Our education program reached 41 different schools this year – representing all 16 counties – and we taught more than 1,650 students about the importance and relevance of the Bill of Rights.
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The man that last week revealed the massive National Security Agency surveillance program to the world came forward over the weekend. Edward Snowden has been working at the NSA for the last four years as an employee of various outside contractors, including Booz Allen and Dell.

Much is being made about the extent of the government’s data collection, and Snowden’s decision to blow the whistle.

Below are links to a few of the pieces we’ve found especially insightful:
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