Issues With Airport Scanners Go Beyond Privacy
edward, January 24, 2012 - 5:26pmYesterday, the Transportation Security Agency held its official unveiling of three new full-body scanners at the Portland International Jetport. These are, of course, the same scanners that notoriously produced "nude" images of passengers and the corresponding heavy handed TSA policy of patting down anyone who refused to go through the machine.
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10 Reasons the U.S. Is No Longer the Land of the Free
edward, January 17, 2012 - 5:04pmIn Sunday's Washington Post, Jonathan Turley highlights ten sobering reasons why the United States is not the "land of the free".
Turley cites the following expanded powers that have dangerously eroded individual rights and liberties post 9/11: | continue reading
Turley cites the following expanded powers that have dangerously eroded individual rights and liberties post 9/11: | continue reading
Private Prison Bill A Good Riddance
edward, January 9, 2012 - 5:02pmToday, LD 1095, a bill that would allow a privately run prison in Maine, was unanimously killed in committee. This is very good news for three reasons:
- Private prisons need high incarceration rates to make money. Quite simply, the more Draconian the sentencing, the better for business. So while mandatory sentencing and three strikes laws keep the prison full to capacity, they do little to make our society safer.
"Stop and Frisk" Firsthand
edward, December 19, 2011 - 6:41pmThe New York Times Sunday Review features a harrowing first hand account by Nicholas Peart relating his experiences as a target of the NYPD's "stop-and-frisk" policy.
In 2009, the NYPD stopped and frisked 576,394 people. Over the 3 1/2 years leading up to 2009, the NYPD initiated over 1.6 million stops of New Yorkers.
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In 2009, the NYPD stopped and frisked 576,394 people. Over the 3 1/2 years leading up to 2009, the NYPD initiated over 1.6 million stops of New Yorkers.
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“We Told Our Kids You Can’t Create Change If You Don’t Get Involved’’
edward, December 12, 2011 - 4:42pmYesterday, The Boston Globe published a remarkable feature story on the Maines family.
In October, the ACLU of Maine was very proud to honor Wayne, Kelly, Jonas and Nicole with our Roger Baldwin Award for their truly exceptional advocacy for transgender rights.
In October, the ACLU of Maine was very proud to honor Wayne, Kelly, Jonas and Nicole with our Roger Baldwin Award for their truly exceptional advocacy for transgender rights.
Principles to Maintain Civil Liberties for U.S.-Canadian Border Policy
edward, December 5, 2011 - 6:30pmThe ACLU today released a set of “Core Legal Principles” that we believe should govern U.S. border policies – specifically, a “North American Security Perimeter” plan that the United States and Canada are expected to announce this week.
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Indefinite Detention Coming Home to Roost?
edward, November 28, 2011 - 1:11pmWe're not talking about combatants captured on a battlefield half a world away anymore. We're talking about giving the president the authority to imprison--indefinitely--any American on the suspicion of terrorism. There would be no charges, no trial, no proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Questionable Terror Plots
edward, November 21, 2011 - 12:04pmPaul Harris reports in The Guardian that FBI tactics are raising disturbing questions of 'entrapment':
Civil liberties groups are also concerned, seeing some FBI tactics as using terrorism to justify more power. "We are still seeing an expansion of these tools. It is a terrible prospect," said Mike German, an expert at the American Civil Liberties Union and a former FBI agent who has worked in counter-terrorism.
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