News & Commentary

Five years ago, Nick George was going through security at Philadelphia International Airport when he was suddenly asked to step aside for additional screening. What followed was an unbelievable ordeal that ended with him being aggressively interrogated, marched through the airport in handcuffs, and locked in a jail cell for nearly five hours – all because he was carrying a set of English-Arabic flashcards for his college language class along with a book critical of U.S. foreign policy.

I'm used to writing about how judges rule in free speech cases, but I believe this is the first time I've had occasion to write about how a judge applies the First Amendment in his own courtroom. The First Amendment gives the press (and the public) the right to publish what government officials say and do. This allows us to hold government officials accountable when they do something that we don't like, and this "self-government" principle is one of the strongest justifications we have for our freedom of speech.

Earlier today, the ACLU of Missouri filed lawsuitsuit against Robert McCulloch, the prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County, where Michael Brown was killed by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson in August.

For our annual holiday party last week I was tasked with providing music, which I took as a great excuse to assemble a collection of civil rights- and civil liberties-themed songs. Hoping to show how these types of songs have progressed over time, I made a point of picking at least one tune from every decade beginning with the 1930s. It’s fascinating to hear how much has changed in the sound of music over that time, yet sobering once you recognize just how many of the themes from those early songs are still just as relevant today.

Been hearing a lot about net neutrality lately? Wondering what, exactly, that means? 

On Wednesday night at Bowdoin College (my alma mater), I'm going to give a talk on the first nine years of the Roberts Court. The focus will be on four areas of law - free speech, racial justice, privacy and criminal law - that are connected to my work as an ACLU lawyer who litigates questions of civil rights and civil liberties. But, I think these areas are worth focusing on not just because they are my job, but also because of their importance in the national conversation about what kind of country we want to have. These areas of law, each in their own way, tell a story about our relation to our government and our relation to one another that transcends the courtroom.

For many individuals, placing a political sign on the lawn is the most personal declaration of political affiliation they are likely to make. Like much political discourse, opinions about political signs are mixed: some people see them as a personal way of participating in the political process, while others see them as an eyesore.

The right to free expression is one of our most cherished rights, yet it seems it is constantly under threat. For all the progress we've made - and there has been much - we still find ourselves stuggling with government censorship both by state governments and local school districts.To draw attention to the censorship that still exists in our country, and to reflect upon the censorship that has been littered throughout our history, we take this opportunity every year to recognize Banned Books Week, an annual celebration of the freedom to read.Since its inception, the ACLU has fought censorship - because a government that polices what we read can police our thoughts. We have stood up time and time again to challenge restrictions on free expression, even when the ideas being expressed are abhorrent or distasteful. Yet even as we go to such great lengths to support the First Amendment, it is a striking reminder of the importance of free expression to see the actual examples of books, poems, music, and other literary works that have been censored both historically and in our modern time.The American Library Association keeps a record of the most frequently challenged books every year, and you might be surprised at what makes the list. In 2013, the #1 spot was claimed for the second year in a row by "Captain Underpants," a children's novel series about two fourth graders and a cartoon superhero. Other titles topping the list include "Fifty Shades of Grey" and "The Hunger Games."A look through the history pages reveals even more shocking censorship. All of the following classic novels have at one time or another been banned: To Kill a Mockingbird, Gone with the Wind, Ulysses, The Catcher in the Rye, Of Mice and Men. So many other great novels could be included here, which highlights one of the most important themes of Banned Books Week: the government should not be the arbiter of what is and is not acceptable reading material. History has shown us that some of our most enduring and influential works of art have at one time been deemed "obscene" or "inappropriate."We hope you will join us in honoring Banned Books Week, and in the spirit of free expression, you may celebrate however you choose. Maybe you want to read a banned book. Maybe you want to read the ACLU's blog posts on the subject. We definitely recommend you check out our Banned Books Week hub page with all sorts of resources. Whatever you decide, we hope you enjoy Banned Books Week as much as we intend to. Long live the First Amendment!

Today we filed a lawsuit on behalf of a Bar Harbor couple who were arrested for observing and attempting to film an interaction between several police officers and a woman in downtown Portland.