News & Commentary

Across the nation, lawmakers are waking up to the fact that it’s time for a new approach to drug abuse. Yet Gov. LePage is calling for a continuation of the same failed policies that have wreaked havoc on our communities and our state budgets. We are alarmed by the governor's plan to introduce legislation that would ramp up the failed drug war by adding 14 new law enforcement positions, 4 new assistant attorney positions dedicated specifically to drug crimes, and four new district court judges that would exclusively hear and decide drug-related cases. This proposal is estimated to cost 2.7 million dollar to implement.  To read our response to the Governor’s proposal click here. 

Just a few hours ago the ACLU was honored to host the first live interview with whistleblower Edward Snowden since his bombshell revelations about government spying last year. The “virtual conversation” took place at the SXSW Initiative, a massive technology festival held every year in Texas, and featured a highly-secure live video feed of Snowden.

The Guardian recently revealed that Britain's version of our NSA, the GCHQ, has been intercepting, storing and processing webcam images of millions of Internet users from 2008 through 2012.  The program, called Optic Nerve, was an attempt to apply facial recognition technology to web images in order to identify intelligence targets.  However, the information was gathered in bulk at staggering levels, reportedly 1.8 million people in a six month period alone.  It has also reportedly been fed into the NSA's XKeyscore system.

Each Friday, we’ll bring you updates on the latest civil liberties news from Maine and the nation.

As I write this blog, I’m gazing across the Saint John River onto the beautiful snowy slopes of the Canadian countryside. My location is Madawaska, a picturesque little community that proudly calls itself “the most northeastern town in the United States.” While one could certainly justify taking a vacation here, that is not my purpose. I’m here on an educational mission, and my objective is clear: teach tomorrow’s leaders about the Bill of Rights.

South Dakota is dealing with a bevy of anti-choice bills this legislative session. One of the more preposterous bills is HB 1162, An Act to Prohibit the Practice of Sex-Selective Abortions. The bill is being touted as a women's rights bill, but, of course, nothing could be farther from the truth. The "urgent need" for the bill is premised on the misconception that some women's sole purpose for seeking an abortion is to abort their female fetus. The racism involved in this assumption is not veiled. The "urgent need" for the bill is based on the stereotype that Asian and Asian-American women living in the US engage in the same selection practices that are reported in India and China. When expressing his concern about sex-selective abortions, Don Haggar (who voted in favor of the bill) stated: "Let me tell you, our population in South Dakota is a lot more diverse than it ever was. There are cultures that look at sex-selection abortion as being culturally okay. And I will suggest to you that we are embracing individuals from some of those cultures in this country, or in this state." Representative Stace Nelson (also in favor of the bill) recalled his time in Asia as a Marine to advocate for the necessity of this bill: "Many of you know I spent 18 years in Asia...and sadly, I can tell you that the rest of the world does not value the lives of women as much as I value the lives of my daughters." You can listen to the hearing here.

This session, the Maine Legislature will consider LD 1765 - An Act to Establish the Criminal Law Revision Commission. If passed, this bill would create a commission to examine and revise all criminal statutes found within and outside of the Maine Criminal Code. In Maine, the last comprehensive study of our criminal laws was undertaken in the 1970s. As much has changed in our criminal justice system since that time, this is an important opportunity for us to not only re-examine our laws but also fundamentally re-align our criminal justice priorities.

Each Friday, we’ll bring you updates on the latest civil liberties news from Maine and the nation.

Our partner profiles highlight the broad range of individuals and organizations we work with to advance and protect the rights of all people in Maine.