Radio Civil Liberties

Reform Immigration for America's Caravan Arrives in Buffalo.

2010-03-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties:

Reform Immigration for America's road trip for real Comprehensive Immigration Reform made its scheduled stop, on-time and on message in Buffalo, the Queen City of the Empire State. On February 15th more than a dozen New Yorkers began the five-day road trip across New York State to call for action on tre comprehensive immigration reform.

The caravan, dubbed the "New York Road Trip for Our Future", stopped in key towns and cities across the state: New York City, Carmel, Saratoga Springs, Syracuse, Sodus, Pittsford, Greece, Batavia, Buffalo, Ithaca, and Brooklyn.

Rolling into a Noon Press Conference at Buffalo's Landmark First Presbyterian Church across the street from the legendary Kleinhans Music Hall. The red hot energy from the caravan's travelers was a marked contrast to the cold Buffalo New York winter day.The weary but no less inspired travelers were greeted by local friends and allies from Hispanics United of Buffalo, the Network of Religious Communities, the Western New York Peace Center, Citizen Action, the International Institute of Buffalo as well as the New York Civil Liberties Unions's Western Regional Office.

This action was part of the first-ever caravan across the state to demand legislative action on Comprehensive Immigration Reform.Amid growing frustration in immigration communities
that President Obama and Congress have not yet delivered on the promise of immigration
reform, residents of New York State, from NYC to Saratoga Springs to Buffalo, coordinated a statewide caravan to mobilize diverse sectors and press New York's Legislators and President Obama to enact federal immigration reform.

On hand for opening remarks was NYCLU Regional Director, John A. Curr III, who was followed by the iconic Executive Director of Hispanics United of Buffalo, Lourdes Iglesias, the oldest and largest Hispanic advocacy organization in Western New York. Ms. Iglesias was followed by the always-inspiring words of the animated Rev. Deacon Jim Anderson, from the Network of Religious Communities and Citizen Action. Rev. Anderson also is the Chair of the WNY Peace Center.

As if inspiration enough wasn't felt from the opening speakers, the voices of the caravan travelers found deep connection among the diverse crowd that attended the press conference and small rally. The first young man to speak from the travelers contingent was Osman Canales. In a style that was uniquely his own, Osman delivered a riveting account of his very personal
journey as a first generation American forced into coming of age in a single parent household because of the cruel deportation of his father, his family's sole provider, when he was just an infant. Following Osman, was Yasmine Farhang, a first generation Iranian-American who shared her outrage at living in a comfortable community of familial acceptance, only to watch the indignities of an indifferent bureaucracy that held her family in contempt during an immigration process that lasted years and visited countless petty humiliations upon her parents.

The caravan speakers concluded with the insight of Kevin Kang, a Korean -American who gave his insight into growing up in an immigrant community in New York City. Concluding the events, the group heard from Gabriela Villareal, of the New York Immigration Coalition who thanked so many for welcoming the caravan to Buffalo and announced a mobilization to bring 100,000 Americans to Washington D.C. for the March for America, March 21st Rally in support of Immigration Reform. She further challenged Buffalo, NY to send 2000 to the nations capital, which received a standing ovation from the crowd.

Kudos' go to Ms. Lourdes Iglesias of Hispanics United ofBuffalo for pledging to personally commit 200 people from the ranks of her organization. Winding up the affair was, Martiza Vega, who displayed symbols of the region-Chicken Wing Hot Sauce (!) and an apple that she was personally going to deliver to New York State's Senators, in addition to so many of the other symbols of support that she had gathered across the caravan's travels throughout the Empire State.So many people to thank for the inspiring events of the day, especially, the Rev. John Long and the First Presbyterian Church, Gabriela Villareal of the New York Immigration Coalition and Corinne Rosen, the regional organizer for Reform Immigration for America.

We're looking forward to seeing everyone -and more -on that trip for justice to our nations's capital, the March for America, on March 21st.

Find out More, Become Involved and join us for Real Reform:

NYCLU: IMMIGRATION REFORM

Call-In Day for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

2010-02-22T09:28:00.001-08:00

Our nation's immigration system is broken!

There is a human rights crisis in New York and across the United States -- immigrant homes are raided; hundreds
of thousands of people are detained, some indefinitely, in inhumane conditions and without access to medical care; and unscrupulous employers prey on the undocumented.
Our immigration system is so flawed that even documented immigrants regularly suffer from many of these problems.
The situation is too dire to continue to ignore.
Congress must adopt practical solutions that fix our immigration system and uphold our nation's values. All Americans' rights and liberties are at stake.

Today we are asking each of you to take a moment and contact your elected officials-specifically, Congressmen Brian Higgins and Christopher Lee:

Congressman
Brian Higgins:

Erie County Office:
Phone: 716-852-3501
Fax: 716-852-3929

Chautauqua County Office
Phone: 716-484-0729
Fax: 716-484-1049
or Via email here

***

Congressman
Chris Lee

Erie County
Phone: 716.634.2324
Fax: 716.631.7610

Genesee County
Phone: 585.663.5570
Fax: 585.663.5711

or Via Email here

For more information,
Contact the Western Regional Office of the NYCLU at 716.852.4033

or via email here and visit

www.nyclu.org/immigrationreform

Radio Civil Liberties Remembers: Howard Zinn, 1922-2010

2010-02-10T07:32:00.001-08:00

(Click to Listen to Howard Zinn RCL
Interview)

This week
on Radio Civil Liberties, we take a step back and remember Historian, Professor,
Activist and Author, Howard Zinn, who passed away on January 27, 2010.

Zinn was
interviewed by RCL's John Curr and Geoff Millard (Truthout.org and IVAW) on
Radio Civil Liberties, July 13, 2006 at the now defunct "Voice of Reason"
Studio "B",1270AM WHLD, in Buffalo, New York..

Howard Zinn's
unique perspective on the state of civil liberties, and indeed on the People's
History of these United States, was accurate then, as amazingly it is accurate
now.

Howard Zinn,
a Combat Veteran, Mentor to the Masses, People's Historian and a friend, was
87.

Click
here to listen to RCL's interview with Professor Howard Zinn.

Civil Liberties in Twenty10

2010-01-26T08:03:00.000-08:00

"The School to Prison Pipeline" The School to Prison Pipeline is a nationwide system of local, state and
federal education and public safety policies that pushes students out
of school and into the criminal justice system. This system is proportionately
targets youth of color and youth with disabilities. Inequities in areas such as school discipline, policing practices, high-stakes testing and the prison industry contribute to the pipeline.

This week on Radio Civil Liberties, we take a look at some of the most important issues on the Civil Liberties 2010 Agenda:
Reproductive Freedom: Under New York State Law the right to an abortion is recognized as an exception to the penal code--a statutory anachornism that pre-dates the "Roe v. Wade" decision. The NYCLU has helped draft a bill that clearly and affirmatively recognizes reproductive rights. The goal is adoption of the Repoductive Helath Act in New York Law.

LGBT Rights: As to passage of the marriage bill, it's not if it will pass, but when. In 2010 we'll focus our advocacy for marriage fairness in key electoral districts. We'll also press for action in Albany that prohibits bias-based bullying in our

schools and discrimination based upon gender dentity and expression.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform: America’s immigration system is broken.

After decades of ignoring the problem, our country faces the reality of tens of millions of documented and undocumented immigrants facing routine violations of their basic human and civil rights. With so many forced to live in the shadows of society, Americans often forget about the civil rights crisis taking place across the US—and throughout New York State.Together with allies from across the political spectrum, the NYCLU supports a comprehensive reform of our immigration system that will finally respect fundamental civil rights and liberties

Legislation that takes major strides toward repairing America's broken immigration system. The American Civil Liberties Union and its affilaites like the New York Civil Liberties Union strongly supports responsible reforms to U.S. immigration policy and calls on Congress to ensure that any legislation protects the civil rights, civil liberties and human rights of everyone in the United States, regardless of his or her immigration status. To Find out how you can help: Visit the NYCLU's website to call on NY’s Congressional Delegation to Take Up Fight for Immigration Reform

This Week on Radio Civil Liberties: December 18, 2009

2010-01-11T09:59:00.000-08:00

NYCLU Nassau County Chapter Director Samantha Fredrickson, Esq. Speaks out at the recent Rally for Repeal of an Unconstitutional Oyster Bay, NY Law that Illegally Discriminates Against Immigrants.

(Thanks to LongislandWins.com)

This week on Radio Civil Liberties, a number of issues are in focus as we move forward towards Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
In our first segment, we feature the efforts the New York Civil Liberties Union's Nassau County Chapter, where, this week, Immigrants’ rights and civil rights advocates from the LONG ISLAND WINS Coalition, rallied in front of Oyster Bay Town Hall demanding the repeal of a town ordinance that discriminates against immigrant day laborers and violates everyone’s core constitutional rights.
In late September, the Oyster Bay Town Board enacted a local ordinance making it a crime to stand on a public sidewalk and solicit employment. The law, purportedly a public safety measure, unfairly targets day laborers, who are often Latino immigrants. It violates everyone’s constitutional rights to free speech and equal treatment under the law.

In our second segment, we feature a discussion on Immigration Policy with Homesland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano that was conducted by the Center for American Progress and gives thought provoking insight into the Homeland Security Secretary's perspective on the need for Compreshensive Immigration Reform just a few short weeks prior to Congressman Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL), along with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, introduced late Tuesday HR 4321, The Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP).
Legislation that takes major strides toward repairing America's broken immigration system. The American Civil Liberties Union and its affilaites like the New York Civil Liberties Union strongly supports responsible reforms to U.S. immigration policy and calls on Congress to ensure that any legislation protects the civil rights, civil liberties and human rights of everyone in the United States, regardless of his or her immigration status. To Find out how you can help: Visit the NYCLU's website to call on NY’s Congressional Delegation to Take Up Fight for Immigration Reform

This Week on Radio Civil Liberties: December 11, 2009

2009-12-18T12:10:00.001-08:00

Marriage Fairness=Marriage Failure as New Yorkers Suffer Temproary Setback in Senate

This week, the New York State Senate failed to pass legislation that would allow lesbian and gay couples to marry in New York state.

This Senate vote is painfully disappointing given our state's proud history of promoting fairness and justice. But this is only a temporary setback in our campaign to protect all New York families. The majority of New Yorkers support fair marriage laws that protect lesbian and gay families, and the day will come when we achieve that goal.

While we are saddened by this vote, we find some solace that the marriage bill was at last debated on the floor of the New York State Senate, and we applaud the many senators who spoke eloquently and with conviction in standing up for all of New York’s families.

(The Live 1pm audio stream from TotallyGospel 1270am WHLD is here)

On this week's broadcast, we'll hear some of those eloquent voices that spoke for Marriage Fairness:

Download today's audio only broadcast here(.mp3 format @41.3mb)

“Today's Senate vote is painfully disappointing given our state's proud history of promoting fairness and justice for gay and lesbian people and other minority groups, but this is only a temporary setback in our campaign to protect all New York families. The majority of New Yorkers support fair marriage laws that protect lesbian and gay families, and the day will come when we achieve that goal.”

NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman

To Find Out What You Can Do to Help-Visit the NYCLU's website Here and visit www.MarriageNY.com to hear New York Couples Explain Why Marriage Matters to Them.

Radio Civil Liberties: November 21, 2009

2009-12-04T09:30:00.000-08:00

This past Summer, the NYCLU's Reproductive Rights Project, the Correctional Association of New York and Women on the Rise Telling HerStory,(WORTH)held rallies and demonstrations that drew attention to the fact that New York was one of the few states that allowed incarcerated women to be shackled during labor or while they were being transported to the hospital to give birth.

Shackling pregnant women who are in labor unjustifiably endangers the lives of the pregnant women and their babies. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Public Health Association, the American Medical Women’s Association, and the American College of Nurse Midwives vehemently oppose shackling incarcerated women during labor.

Their efforts led directly to Governor David Paterson signing an Executive Order ending the barabaric practice but also bringing to light an even larger issue: The treatment of Pregnant Women in Prisons.

In our first segment this week, we take a look at a special report by the ACLU detailing the experience of Bethany Cajune, who was five months pregnant when she voluntarily reported to Montana’s Lake County Detention Facility. This past March, Bethany voluntarily reported to the detention facility to complete an outstanding short-term sentence for traffic violations. At that time, she was approximately four to five months pregnant, raising five small children, and attending GED classes four days a week. She was also about to successfully complete her first year in a medication-treatment program for a diagnosed addiction to opioid drugs. What Bethany didn’t know when she reported to the facility was that detention officials would withhold her medication, which was prescribed to suppress withdrawal symptoms and facilitate Bethany’s recovery, and was now critical for protecting the health of her pregnancy.

(The Full narrative is here)

This Week on Radio Civil Liberties: November 21, 2009

2009-11-30T07:59:00.000-08:00

In our first segment this week, New York’s highest court unanimously affirmed the state's ability to recognize the out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples. But because the case only involved one state agency’s recognition of out-of-state marriages, the four-judge majority called on the legislature to take up the marriage issue. The three concurring judges also noted the need for statewide recognition of same-sex couples and marriages.

The decision leaves intact lower court rulings that the marriage recognition rule requires respect for the out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples. Included in those rulings is the NYCLU's victory in the case Martinez v. County of Monroe, which was decided by the Appelate Division, Fourth Department on Feb. 1, 2008.

In this case,the NYCLU,the American Civil Liberties Union and the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Warton& Garrison LLP filed an amicus brief in the case in support of the families whose benefits were at stake on behalf of the NYCLU, ACLU, Empire State Pride Agenda, Marriage Equality New York, the LGBT Community Center and the Loft.

In June, the NYCLU launched www.MarriageNY.com,a website featuring a dozen New York couples explaining why the right to get married matters to them.

And in our final segment, The ACLU has brought suit on behalf of a New Jersey man who was illegally detained and mistreated by U.S. officials in Kenya and Ethiopia. After fleeing hostilities in Somalia in 2006, Amir Meshal was arrested, secretly imprisoned in inhumane conditions and subjected to harsh interrogations by U.S. officials over 30 times in three different countries before ultimately being released four months later without charge.

"It is simply unacceptable that an American citizen in desperate conditions overseas should be so deliberately and egregiously deprived of his constitutional rights by U.S. officials," said Jonathan Hafetz,a staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project.

(The Full Story is Here)

This Week on Radio Civil Liberties: November 14, 2009

2009-11-30T07:46:00.000-08:00

As the White House announced plans this week to focus on Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2010, the NYCLU and its allies met this week to prepare to respond to the same challenges. In a Summit this week at the NYCLU's Genesee Valley Chapter in Rochester, NY , staff from the Western Regional Office here in Buffalo, Rochester and the Central New York Chapter of the NYCLU met with regional advocacy leaders and organizations from across the area to develop responses toComprehensive Immigration Reform and to better focus on humane policies that underscore the importance of keeping families together and provide a path to legalization.

While the staff of Radio Civil Liberties is getting ready for a trip downstate, we take another look this week at the state of Immigration policies at the border.

Surviving Police Encounters: "A Night at the Wishberry"

2009-11-07T03:39:00.001-08:00

**Note: Due to circumstances beyond our control at WBBF-1120AM, this week's broadcast of Radio Civil Liberties was not broadcast (Oct. 31, 2009) It will return next week at its regularly scheduled time*** Following up on this week's "Night at the Wishberry" event, its never too often that we can feature as important a subject as police encounters, which we'll be highlighting over the next two shows. Recapping, this week the Western Regional Office took the show on the road, stopping on the southern tier in Fredonia, NY at the Wishberry Cafe

After a quick course in surviving police encounters by the WRO staff, the audience was treated to the sounds of Chris Bell and the Broadcast.

Check out the photoalbum here to get a glimpse of the event. Also, listen for new music from "The Broadcast" and the incomparable Chris Bell on upcoming shows. This morning we have an early release of "Realign" from the Broadcast that was recorded live at the Wishberry. More to come on Monday including "Know Your Rights", as well as more music and video from Broadcast and Chris Bell.

Student's Rights and Military Recruiting: NYCLU's Annual Week of Action Oct 22-24

2009-10-31T07:01:00.000-07:00

This week, the New York Civil Liberties Union’s Western Regional Office will visit public high schools in Buffalo to inform students of their rights regarding military recruitment at school.

The Week of Action, an annual event, targets schools known to have high levels of recruitment activity. Teams of volunteers will visit selected schools before classes start and at the end of the school day to distribute No Student Left Unrecruited palm cards, which help students, parents, educators, and advocates understand their rights and obligations when it comes to military recruitment. The palm card provides two detachable forms to help students opt out of recruiting databases and keep their information private from recruiters.

This morning on Radio Civil Liberties, we'll hear reports and updates regarding best practices for students to protect their rights and their privacy information from being collected by these aggressive military recruiting practices.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 granted the military wide access to public high schools and students’ personal information, though the law also requires schools to allow students and parents to withhold personal information from the military. As recruiters intensified activities inside public high schools to meet wartime quotas, stories of aggressive recruitment targeting low-income communities of color became common.

Do you want to help? It's easy,just give us a call, 716-852-4033 or shoot us an email at westernregion@nyclu.org

What: Week of Action to inform students of their rights regarding military recruitment

When: Tuesday, Oct. 20 through Thursday, Oct. 22

Where: Tuesday: Hutchinson Central Technical High School, 256 South Elmwood Ave.

Wednesday: Kenmore-West High School, 33 Highland Parkway

Thursday: McKinley High School. 1500 Elmwood Ave.

Freedom to Read and Freedom of Thought: Banned Books Week 2009

2009-10-17T06:34:00.000-07:00

(October 3, 2009) We’re in the midst of Banned Books Week, a national celebration of the right to read. Created in 1982, Banned Books Week aims to raise awareness about challenges to the inclusion of books in libraries, bookstores, and school curricula across the country. The ACLU, from its landmark 1933 defense of James Joyce’s Ulysses, has long been involved in the fight against the censorship of books. Unfortunately, challenges to free expression are hardly a problem of the past.

In 2008, the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom reported that there were 513 challenges to books. School districts, in particular, continue to restrict students’ access to books based on content and viewpoint—usually because of perceived profanity or offensive depictions of race, gender, and, often, even national identity. In 2006, for example, the Miami-Dade County School Board voted to pull copies of Alta Schreier’s Vamos a Cuba because of parents’ complaints about the author’s representation of life in that country. This year, in North Stafford, Virginia, Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States was challenged as “un-American, leftist propaganda.” Recently, students in an Advanced Placement English class at Eastern High School in Louisville, Kentucky were instructed by their teacher not to read the last 30 pages of Toni Morrison’s Beloved.

What do students lose out on by not reading those final pages?

This week provides an opportunity for us to reflect on that question, as well as on the importance of safeguarding the right to free expression. While it is important that authors write freely, it is just as important that readers read freely.

For more information on how you can get involved in Banned Books Week and for a listing of events in your area,visit: http://www.bannedbooksweek.org

Back 2 School Special: Part 1 of 1: Student's Privacy Rights Under Assault by Aggressive Recruiting Practices.

2009-09-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

As New York students prepare for the start of another school year, we turn to an issue that concerns many parents: the increasing presence of military recruiters in the nation’s high schools and the military’s ability to gather information about students.

The military has launched an aggressive campaign to recruit students to fill the ranks of the armed services. And since some recent laws have gone into effect, many educators, students and parents have complained that recruiters are using heavy-handed tactics to harass students, violate students' privacy rights, and target poor students and students of color.

In response, the NYCLU and its allies have been providing resources for students their parents and teachers who want to protect their right to keep private that information and not be harassed by overly aggressive recruiters and to be able to report abuses if they happen.

This week, in Part 1 of our Back to School series on protecting student's privacy rights, we listen to a number of reports detailing some of the abuses that have taken place.

In our first report, we listen in as author David Goodman, from "Mother Jones" and the NYCLU's Ari Rosmarin detail the depth of the problems in a report from Democracy Now.

For More information on how to protect student's privacy rights, and how to keep that information from ending up in the Pentagon and Department of Defense databases, and how to "opt-out" your students, click here for the NYCLU's Youth and Student's Rights web page. And here for the NYCLU Project on Military Recruitment and Student's Rights.

July 25, 2009: This Week's Broadcast Highlights

2009-08-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

In December of 2004, Hassan Shibly and his family were returning to Buffalo, New York from a religious conference held annually in Toronto, Canada. While those returning expected to declare their citizenship upon returning to the U.S. what they didn't expect was to be detained for a special terrorism screening process.

What followed was the subject of a federal lawsuit by the New York Civi Liberties Union on behalf of those detained at the border for no other reason than their religious beliefs.

The case, known as Tabbaa v. Chertoff (challenging DHS policy or practice of detaining and interrogating Americans returning from Islamic conference) thrust these inherently discriminatory practices into the spotlight.

In this week's broadcast, we bring Part II of our "Know Your Right's at the Border " miniseries. Listen in as Shibly discusses the conference and his experiences.

Organized by college students, the Reviving the Islamic Spirit (RIS) Conference is a mainstream cultural and religious gathering that advocates peace, tolerance, and unity held at the Toronto Skydome, which featured speakers, included religious activities, and was endorsed by prominent politicians from both Canada and United States. For More on Tabbaa v. Chertoff Click Here

July 18, 2009: This Week's Broadcast Highlights

2009-07-25T06:33:00.000-07:00

In our first segment this morning, RCL features Part #1 of of a short series entitled "Your Rights at the Border" which was recorded live at Damon Mason Auditorium on July 1st.

This series, which will be available online with video and audio shortly, features helpful information regarding your rights when crossing back into the United States and is presented by some of the best legal minds in Buffalo and Western New York.

"Your Rights at the Border, Part 1" Presented by Sophie Feal, Esq. of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Erie County Bar Association. Ms. Feal discusses border inspections and searches, and relevant issues affecting admission to the U.S. from Canada since 9/11.

In a significant victory for the First Amendment, this week the NYCLU and ACLU prevailed when a federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. government had not adequately justified its denial of a visa to a Swiss professor and leading scholar of the Muslim world.

The decision, which reverses a ruling of a lower federal court, comes in a case in which the American Civil Liberties Union contended that the government's exclusion from the U.S. of Professor Tariq Ramadan violated the First Amendment rights of organizations inside the United States that had invited Ramadan to meet with and speak to their members

(More information is here and here)

NYCLU -1

YANKEES-0

In a settlement approved by a federal judge, the New York Yankees have said they will not restrict spectators’ movements during the playing of "God Bless America" at the new Yankee Stadium.

The New York Civil Liberties Union had sued the Yankees and the NYPD on behalf of Bradford Campeau-Laurion, a Queens man who was ejected from the old Yankee Stadium by police officers last August after trying to use the restroom during "God Bless America." In a separate judgment, the City must pay $10,000 to Campeau-Laurion. Campeau-Laurion has pledged a portion of the judgment to be donated to the NYCLU to assist in the ongoing fight for civil liberties.

(More Here)

June 27, 2009: This Week's Broadcast Highlights

2009-07-18T06:06:00.000-07:00

In our first segment this morning, we highlight an upcoming event that we are co-sponsoring along with the Human Rights Committee of the Erie County Bar Association on Wednesday, July 1 at 7pm, in the Damon Mason Auditorium of the downtown library at Lafayette Square.

"Your Rights at the Border"

Join Sophie Feal, Esq. of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Erie County Bar Association; Dan Joyce, Esq., of Jaeckle, Fleischmann and Mugel; Alan Bozer Esq., Partner of Phillips, Lytle LLC; and NYCLU intern and Law Student, Hassan Shibly, a former NYCLU plaintiff in the Tabbaa v. Chertoff Federal lawsuit.

The featured guests and speakers will discuss border inspections and searches, NAFTA and other visa questions, as well as relevant issues affecting admission to the U.S. from Canada since 9/11.

The FREE EVENT is sponsored by the Human Rights Committee of the Erie County Bas Association

For more information, contact the Western Regional Office of the New York Civil Liberties Union at 716.852.4033 or via email at westernregion@nyclu.org

This week, in response to the disaster that has unfolded during the power struggle in the New York State, the New York Civil Liberties Union , one of the largest membership organizations in the state with nearly 50,000 members, called on senators to put aside the fight for power and vote to protect all of New York’s families.

“Marriage shouldn’t be about politics. Being able to get married – and protect your partner and your children – is a matter of human dignity. Our leaders must put aside their differences and momentarily forget the leadership fight and pass the marriage bill today,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the NYCLU. “Our senators must get on the right side of history and support fairness and equality for all New Yorkers.”

Marriages between lesbian and gay New Yorkers entered into out-of-state are recognized in New York thanks to a 2008 NYCLU legal victory in Martinez v. County of Monroe. Following that victory, Governor Paterson directed all state agencies to revise their policies to recognize marriages of same-sex couples performed in other jurisdictions. Since then, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, Maine and Iowa have legalized marriage for lesbian and gay couples. But New Yorkers remain unable to get married at home.

Earlier this month, the NYCLU launched www.MarriageNY.com, a website featuring a dozen New York couples explaining why the right to get married matters to them. Syracuse resident Susan Salomone, the mother of four children adopted through the foster care system, explained that marrying her life partner Jean would help keep her family safe.

For more information how you can get involved and MOTIVATE your elected representatives visit MarriageNY.com

On the National front this week, the American Civil Liberties Union Sued the Department of Homeland Security this week, after the Treasurer of Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty was detained and interrogated for carryng cash at the St. Louis Airport.

According to the ACLU, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is subjecting innocent Americans to unreasonable searches and detentions that violate the Constitution, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU filed the complaint on behalf of a traveler who was illegally detained and harassed by TSA agents at the airport for carrying approximately $4,700 in cash.

"Airport searches are the most common encounters between Americans and law enforcement agents. That's why it is so important for TSA agents to do the job they were trained to do and not engage in fishing expeditions that do nothing to promote flight safety," said Ben Wizner, a staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project. "It is, of course, very important to ensure the safety of flights and keep illegal weapons and explosives off planes. But allowing TSA screeners to conduct general purpose law enforcement searches violates the Constitution while diverting limited resources from TSA's core mission of protecting safety. For the sake of public safety and constitutional values, these unlawful searches should stop."

On March 29, 2009, Steven Bierfeldt was detained in a small room at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and interrogated by TSA officials for nearly half an hour after he passed a metal box containing cash through a security checkpoint X-ray machine. Bierfeldt was carrying the cash in connection with his duties as the Director of Development for the Campaign for Liberty, a political organization that grew out of Congressman Ron Paul's presidential campaign. (More Here from the ACLU)

2009-06-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

Today,on the first day of Pride month, the New York Civil Liberties Union launched a new website offering New Yorkers easy tools to lobby their state senators to ask them to support the marriage bill. MarriageNY.com features videos of lesbian and gay couples from around New York State telling their stories and asking for the right to marry in New York, and offers simple ways for New Yorkers to spread the word that the senate must vote to protect all of New York’s families.

“There are only about three weeks left in the legislative session. New Yorkers must speak up now and demand protection for all of New York’s families,” said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman. “We must urge our senators to be on the right side of history and support fairness and equality for all New Yorkers.”

In May, the Assembly passed the marriage bill for the second time, and the governor has already pledged his support for it. The bill includes a religious exemption to make clear that it only impacts marriage as a civil institution – clergy will not have to solemnize marriages should the Senate approve the bill.

Among the 12 couples who volunteered to tell their story to MarriageNY.com are Skaneateles residents Peter Wiles and Jim Williams. The couple was married in Massachusetts in 2008.

“There were a lot of family and friends that would have liked to participate but couldn’t because it was out of state,” Williams said. “The only family member that was able to come to our wedding was our dog, Albert.”

Marriages between lesbian and gay New Yorkers entered into out-of-state are recognized in New York thanks to a 2008 NYCLU legal victory in Martinez v. County of Monroe. Following that victory, Governor Paterson directed all state agencies to revise their policies to recognize marriages of same-sex couples performed in other jurisdictions. Since then, Connecticut, Vermont, Maine and Iowa have legalized marriage for lesbian and gay couples. But New Yorkers are unable to get married at home.

“We have established our relationship amongst our friends, our family, our church – it would be nice to have it legalized so we’re completely protected,” explained Syracuse resident Susan Salomone, who stars in a short video on MarriageNY.com about her life with her partner Jean Salomone and their four children.

Other New Yorkers featured on MarriageNY.com include a Suffolk County police officer, a Puerto Rican mother of a gay son, a straight biracial couple, and families from Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Click here to visit MarriageNY.com

This week on Radio Civil Liberties: April 18, 2009

2009-05-12T08:53:00.001-07:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties: April 18, 2009

This week on Radio Civil Liberties, we feature exclusive audio from the new video "Another New Yorker for the Reproductive Health Act" put together by the Reproductive rights Project of the NYCLU.

Here in 2009, most New Yorkers would find it shocking to learn that family planning and abortion are still treated as crimes in our statute books. The Reproductive Health Act takes abortion out of the penal code, and regulates it as a matter of public health and medical practice. Doctors should not have to fear prosecution because of the type of medicine they practice.

As a result, the NYCLU and its allies are string proponents and advocates of legislation that will:

* Guarantees a woman’s right to control her reproductive health; * Ensures that a woman will be able to have an abortion if her health is endangered; * Treats the regulation of abortion as an issue of public health and medical practice, rather than as a potential crime; and * Guarantees everyone the right to use or refuse contraception.

Learn More Here,

Do Something: Click Here to Contact Your Legislators (One Click to Action!)

In our second segment this week we focus on Marriage Equality for All New Yorkers.

In 2007, a same-sex marriage bill passed in the State Assembly by a vote of 85-61. Every single Assemblymember who voted for marriage — Democrat and Republican — won reelection last November.

In 2008, the NYCLU achieved a landmark legal victory when a state appellate court unanimously ruled in Martinez v. County of Monroe that New York State must recognize the valid out-of-state marriages of lesbian and gay couples. Following that victory, Paterson directed all state agencies to follow the law and revise their policies to recognize marriages of same-sex couples performed in other jurisdictions.

This year, we stand on the verge of an historic milestone for equality in America. The NYCLU has applauded Governor Paterson’s leadership in introducing legislation to make marriage between lesbian and gay New Yorkers legal in New York State, and are calling on state legislators to quickly pass the bill.

“Momentum is clearly on the side of justice and fairness,” Lieberman said. “New Yorkers should not have to cross state lines to protect their families. It’s time for the Senate to follow the Assembly’s lead and do the right thing and stand up for all of New York’s families.”

Reach out to Your Legislators-Join us in Albany for Equality and Justice Day on Arpil 28th.

For more information contact your local office of the NYCLU by clicking here

Rockefeller Drug Law Reform: WE DID IT!

2009-04-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

(April 2, 2009) The New York Civil Liberties Union applauds the State Legislature for passing historic reforms to New York State’s notoriously harsh and ineffective mandatory minimum drug sentencing scheme.

“These reforms are a major step toward ending a disastrous policy that has ruined lives, torn apart families and caused enormous racial inequities,” NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said. “Substance abuse is both a public health and a law enforcement issue and today, after 36 long years, New York will finally start treating it that way.”

Enacted in 1973,the Rockefeller Drug Laws mandated extremely harsh prison terms for the possession or sale of relatively small amounts of drugs. Though the laws are intended to target drug kingpins, most sentenced under them are convicted of low-level, nonviolent offenses. Most of the nearly 12,000 New Yorkers serving time for drug offenses have substance abuse problems; many others turned to drugs because of problems related to homelessness, mental illness or unemployment.

For decades, the NYCLU, criminal justice advocates and medical experts have sought to untie the hands of judges and allow substance abuse to be treated as a public health matter. As noted in the New York State Sentencing Commission’s recent report, sentencing non-violent drug offenders to prison is ineffective and counterproductive, and has resulted in unconscionable racial disparities:Blacks and Hispanics comprise more than 90 percent of those currently incarcerated for drug felonies, though most people using illegal drugs are white.

“Governor Paterson deserves an enormous amount of credit for his leadership in making good on his promise to New Yorkers to make drug law reform a priority,” Lieberman said. “He was a leader on this issue in the state senate and stayed true to his beliefs when he became governor and succeeded in working effectively with the assembly and the senate to make reform a reality.” (More Here)

Radio Civil Liberties: "Special Edition"

2009-04-09T11:16:00.001-07:00

In a "Special Edition" this week, Radio Civil Liberties takes it down the road to WUFO-AM for a special Friday afternoon broadcast with Citizen Action's Deacon Jim Anderson and "Special Edition" host, Ted Kirkland. Discussing the need for Rockefeller Drug Law Reform in the 2009 New York State legislative session.

There is so much more to be done: The Rockefeller Drug Laws create stark racial disparities in prison populations and exact an enormous financial toll on all of New York State. Take action and send a fax to the governor and your state senator by clicking here.

Find out more-Be Part of the Change-Rockefeller Reform Now!

Radio Civil Liberties for February 21, 2009

2009-03-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

The NYCLU 2009 Legislative Update, with NYCLU Legislative Director, Robert Perry (2/17/2009)

Buffalo,New York -- This week on Radio Civil Liberties, we're joined by Robert Perry, the NYCLU's Legislative Director for a discussion on the face of Albany and the Legislature in 2009.

Join us as we talk about the legislative priorites and listen in as Perry give us an update on the issues that matter most-and where they figure into the legislative landscape during the session of the New York Legislature. Can't listen in Live?

Click here to listen to the interview

Be sure to check out all of the audio and video available on all of our social links and websites throughout this page.

About Radio Civil Liberties

2009-03-07T05:34:00.000-08:00

Radio Civil Liberties Radio Civil Liberties, the New York Civil Liberties Union’s weekly radio show, can be heard live every Saturday at 11 a.m. on WBBF AM 1120 in Buffalo. Full shows and individual interviews are also available anytime by visiting www.nycluradio.org. Radio Civil Liberties has been on the air since 2004. Over the years, the weekly show has featured guests as varied as Chuck D., Cindy Sheehan, Daniel Ellsberg and Howard Zinn. A mix of reporting about New York and national issues, the show explores topics such as voting rights, free speech, the separation between church and state, military recruiting efforts in public schools and whatever else is generating headlines. “We want to empower our listeners so that they can be the force of change that will enable our state and nation to live up to its promise of liberty and justice for all,” said John Curr, the show’s host and producer as well as the director of the NYCLU’s Western Regional Office.

Radio Civil Liberties: Video November 27th Broadcast

2008-12-02T12:27:00.000-08:00

This week's online Radio Civil Liberties broadcast video includes:

-Stop the H8: Update on Marriage Equality

-Guantanamo Bay Briefing.

-2008 ACLU Supreme Court Update

Featuring Music by Bob Marley with "Could You be Loved", Refuse/ALL with "Holiday in Guantanamo Bay", and a video montage by Alabama 5. Originally broadcast on Saturday November 27th on the air at WBBF-AM 1120, Fiesta Latina.

Police Riot at Hofstra and Voter's Rights Tips: Part 1

2008-10-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

Victory Against Discrimination and Voting Deadline Approaches

2008-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

(September 27, 2008) A few weeks ago, Radio Civil Liberties brought its listeners the story of Diane Schroer, a retired Army Colonel who was offered a job as a terrorism research analyst at the Library of Congress, only to have the offer rescinded when she told her future supervisor that she was in the process of gender transition. This week, we bring listeners the news of Schroer's victory in Federal Court against the Library of Congress and, more importantly, a unique victory against discrimination for transgendered Americans in Federal Court. For the rest of Schroer's story, click the image above or | here | for the video, and | here | for more news from ACLU.org

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In our second segment, once again the subject is: Your Right to Vote. The NYCLU's Voter's Rights campaign is in full swing--and your opportunity to participate is rapidly coming toward the voter's registration deadline of October 10th. As part of our efforts to "re-enfranchise" otherwise eligible voters, you need to know that in New York, you can vote while you are on probation or once you have completed parole. Your voting rights are automatically restored, but you have to register in order to vote. You do not need any special documentation to register.

You must register by Friday, Oct. 10 in order to vote in the upcoming presidential election.

Make sure your voice is heard in November.

Exercise your right to vote.

If you or anyone you know has a problem registering to vote because of a criminal record, or you have trouble voting on election day, you can call

1-866-OUR-VOTE. OR Click here to contact the NYCLU for help. ***** This Weeks Music

Protecting the Rights of Women and the Reality of the REAL ID Act

2008-09-13T06:43:00.000-07:00

On August 21, 2008, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released proposed regulations that could seriously undermine access to basic reproductive health services, including birth control and abortion. <<<< In our first segment this week, Radio Civil Liberties brings an interview with Louise Melling, the ACLU's Reproductive Freedom Project Director. Louise spoke this week with "Below the Waist" a bi-monthly audio podcast available at www.aclu.org

The New York Civil Liberties Union has strongly condemned regulations proposed by the Bush administration that could jeopardize access to basic health care services for millions of women in New York and across the country. The regulations expand the ability of health care providers and institutions to refuse to provide health care services, and even information and referrals, to patients.

“These regulations once again show this administration’s willingness to put ideology ahead of patients’ health care needs,” NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said. “At a time when Americans are struggling to pay their bills and the entire health care system is in crisis, the president should be making it easier, not harder, to get health care.”

The regulations, which apply to three federal laws governing the use of federal funds by states and health care facilities, expand the types of services that providers can object to on moral or religious grounds. These regulations are written to allow anyone working within the medical field (this would include not just doctors and nurses, but everyone from lab technicians to the hospital’s janitorial staff) to refuse to participate in or provide information about medical care that does not agree with their ideology.

The rule leaves open the possibility that -- based on religious beliefs -- institutions and individuals can deny women access to birth control. It also permits individuals to refuse to provide information and counseling about basic heath care services. And it expands existing laws by permitting a wider range of health care professionals to refuse to provide even referrals for abortions.

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In our second segment this week, NYCLU Advocacy Director, Udi Ofer talks about the real threat that is REAL ID.

Congress passed the Real ID Act and President Bush signed it into law in May 2005. It was tacked onto a “must-pass” spending bill to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and provide relief for victims of the 2005 Indian Ocean tsunami.

The Real ID Act contains five sections, most of which address immigration issues. The first provision revises the procedure for granting asylum status. The third attempts to strengthen border security. The fourth and fifth provisions amend rules for allowing temporary workers to enter the country. Ofer explains that :

*The Real ID Act is a REAL threat to privacy . Real ID threatens privacy in two ways. First, it consolidates Americans’ personal information into a network of interlinking databases accessible to the federal government and bureaucrats throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories. This national mega-database would invite government snooping and be a goldmine for identity thieves. Second, it mandates that all driver’s licenses and ID cards have an unencrypted “machine-readable zone” that would contain personal information on Americans that could be easily “skimmed” by anybody with a barcode reader. * A Real ID will become a REAL necessity for everyday life. The use of a Real ID driver’s license will not be limited to boarding an airplane or entering federal buildings. The Bush administration has already stated that Real IDs will become necessary for “everyday transactions,” such as receiving government benefits, voting, or applying for a job. The private sector will also begin mandating a Real ID card for everyday purposes. Despite what the DHS claims, Real ID is a real national ID card. * The Real ID Act will be a REAL bureaucratic nightmare. New Yorkers will pay for Real ID through higher fees and bureaucratic hassles. In addition to slower service, longer lines, increased technical glitches and repeat visits to the DMV, many New Yorkers will be unable to provide the documents required to obtain a Real ID. This will leave many New Yorkers, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable in our society, unable to obtain critical government services or fully participate in American civic life. * The Real ID Act is a REAL economic disaster. The Real ID Act is an unfunded mandate that would cost billions of dollars to implement. Most of the cost would be siphoned from cash-strapped state budgets and out of drivers’ wallets through higher fees. The DHS originally estimated that the law would cost $23.1 billion. The final regulations slash this estimate to $9.9 billion over 11 years by relying on the ridiculous premise that only 75 percent of licensed drivers will seek to obtain a Real ID. As of February 2008, Congress had set aside only $80 million to help pay for implementing Real ID across the entire country. * The Real ID Act makes DMV's REAL immigration enforcement agencies. DMV agents will have to make complicated judgments about a person's lawful status in the Untied States. This is an inappropriate and dangerous function for state government. Regulating immigration is a federal responsibility. Moreover, restricting immigrants' access to driver's licenses is a bad public safety policy as it sends immigrants further into the shadows and keeps them distanced from public safety and law enforcement officials. *And it won’t stop terrorists. Identity-based security is not an effective way to stop terrorism. Driver’s licenses do not reveal evil intent, and Real ID will force many who may have valuable intelligence information further into the shadows.

Read More | Here| from the NYCLU on the Real Problem that is REAL ID.

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You Have the Right to Vote...Even if You Have A Criminal Record...

2008-08-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties, According to a study conducted by the Sentencing Project, more than 40 percent of prisoners across the nation believe that they have been permanently disenfranchised as a result of their incarceration, and almost 60 percent of prisoners believe that being on probations makes them ineligible to vote. The majority of prisoners (63 percent), reported that no one had ever provided them with information regarding their voting eligibility. Millions of Americans are barred from the polls because of a felony conviction. Voting is a fundamental right and a cornerstone of our democracy, yet millions of Americans have had their right to vote revoked for periods ranging from the time spent incarcerated to a lifetime. In 11 states, you can lose your right to vote for life. The NYCLU and the ACLU are fighting to restore the voting rights of formerly incarcerated people, so that they, like all Americans, will be heard.

More information can be found on the New York campaign Here

in Western New York, look for updates from the Western Regional Office Here **** This Weeks Music

Profile in Courage: Diane Schroer Vs. Discrimination by the Library of Congress

2008-08-25T12:02:00.001-07:00

Two of the most critical areas in the battle against discrimination in New York State, and more generally, in all of the United States, are those faced in the workplace, and those faced by Transgendered persons. This week on Radio Civil Liberties, we hear the story of a shining star in this struggle for equality, dignity and justice. Diane Schroer, a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Army whose job offer at the Library of Congress was rescinded after she informed the organization that she was in the process of transitioning from male to female. Ms. Schroer is being assisted in this fight by the American Civil Liberties Union. In legal papers filed in the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, the ACLU charges that the Library of Congress unlawfully refused to hire Schroer in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which protects against sex discrimination in the workplace. The lawsuit also claims that the Library's action violated Schroer's constitutional right to be free from discrimination, and violates the Library's own legal mandate to hire based only on merit.

"After risking my life for more than 25 years for my country, I've been told I'm not worthy of the freedoms I worked so hard to protect," said Diane Schroer. "All I'm asking is to be judged by my abilities rather than my gender."

Schroer, 49, retired from the Army as a Colonel in 2004 after 25 years of distinguished service. As an Airborne Ranger qualified Special Forces officer, Schroer completed over 450 parachute jumps, received numerous decorations including the Defense Superior Service Medal, and was hand-picked to head up a classified national security operation.

After leaving the military, Schroer confronted feelings she had been dealing with her entire life, and after careful deliberation under the care of a doctor, decided to transition from a man to a woman. While still presenting as a man, Schroer applied for a position with the Library of Congress as the senior terrorism research analyst. Soon thereafter she was offered the job, which she accepted immediately. Prior to starting work, Schroer took her future boss to lunch to explain that she was in the process of transitioning and thought it would be easier for everyone if she simply started work presenting as a female. The future boss said nothing at the lunch to suggest that this would be a problem. But the following day, Schroer received a call from the future boss rescinding the offer, telling her that she wasn't a "good fit" for the Library of Congress.

"The Library of Congress clearly thought Schroer was the most qualified person for the job," said Sharon McGowan, a staff attorney with the ACLU's Lesbian and Gay Rights Project. "The notion that our government would reject the best candidate for a job simply because of her gender is not only patently unfair, but also blatantly illegal."(Click above to hear Schroer's remarkable story.)

For more information on your rights and the rights that everyone is entitled to, click here ********************************** This weeks music:

Protecting Students from Aggressive Military Recruiting Tactics and a Voice is Stilled

2008-08-19T12:12:00.001-07:00

As the Summer of 2008 draws to a close, focus begins to return to the fall and the return of students to the classroom. Part of that focus sharpens on the rights of students to be free from aggressive military recruiting practices. The NYCLU is gearing up for a fall campaign to educate our public school students regarding the realities of aggressive recruiting practices and how to protect their personal information from becoming part of Department of Defense data bases. The tactics being adopted by some of these recruiters are startling. The lengths that some will go to in order to fulfill unrealistic quotas is in the spotlight this week is this feature involving an Army recruiter in Texas last week has led to a bipartisan call for an investigation. The recruiter from the Greenspoint Recruiting Station in Houston was suspended after a recording of his threats aired on a local TV station. The recruiter, Sgt. Glenn Marquette, warned eighteen-year-old Irving Gonzalez that he would be sent to jail if he decided to go to college instead of joining the military, even though Gonzalez had signed a non-binding contract that left him free to change his mind before basic training. In our first segment this week. we play the recording of their conversation, as well as a number of interviews conducted with Democracy Now's Amy Goodman.

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During the Spring of 2006, Radio Civil Liberties correspondent Geoff Millard, now with Truthout.org, did a series of interviews for RCL as he traveled with Veterans for Peace and Iraq Veterans Against the War through Hurricane Katrina ravaged America . So many of the voices that Millard brought to us gave first hand accounts and perspectives of Americans that were becoming activist on the face of so many of the Bush Administrations failed domestic and foreign policies. One of those voices was Al Zappala. Al was the father of the late Sgt. Sherwood Baker, killed in Baghdad Iraq in 2004. Considering himself to be a patriotic American, Zappala believed in his government and the direction America was taking until the loss of his son led to questions he never felt were adequately addressed by the military and the Bush Administration. Last week, an American that so eloquently excercised the First Amendment was silenced, Zappala died at age 68 following a long battle with lung cancer. Zappala had traveled nearly non-stop over the last four years with Military Families Speak Out (MFSO) and Gold Star Families for Peace (GSFP) speaking out about the Iraq War and injustices of the Bush Administration. In memorium, we listen again to that March 2006 interview with Zappala and RCL's Geoff Millard.

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Judgement at Guantanamo Bay and Questions Over War Crimes Charges Violations by U.S. Officials

2008-08-12T22:16:00.000-07:00

After a trial filled with overwhelming constitutional and procedural flaws, a jury of military officers today found Salim Hamdan guilty of providing material support for terrorism. The American Civil Liberties Union has been at Guantánamo Bay observing the Hamdan proceedings, which lacked the fundamental legal safeguards found in traditional U.S. courts or military courts governed by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. In our first segment this week, The American Civil Liberties Union's Ben Wizner is one of the few outside independent observers that was present for the proceedings, Wizner spoke with the ACLU's Suzanne Utoe following the verdict. Listen to the interview | Here | .

Stay up to date with all of the news on the Military Commissions Proceedings at Guantanamo Bay by reading the ACLU's Blog of Rights.

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With calls for independent investigations of the Bush Administration, and the Department of Justice having fallen largely on deaf Congressional ears, currently no such substantial hearings or investigations are scheduled to probe the growing list of violations that the current administration has commited under U.S. and International Law. In this context, Author and Correspondent for the New Yorker magazine, Jane Mayer gave this report based on her book "The Dark Side" from Democracy Now! Click |Here| to listen to the report.

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Marriage Victory in Western New York and Dispatch from Guantanamo

2008-08-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

In our first segment this week, we get the update from the NYCLU on its most recent victory in the stuggle for marriage equality. Less than three weeks after the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Western New York for denying spousal health care benefits to a validly married lesbian couple, the health insurance company has announced it will begin covering married same-sex couples. (More |Here|) Following up, more local news from the Western Regional Office of the New York Civil Liberties Union, a little more than a week after the Department of Justice ended its oversight of the Buffalo Police Department, enacted in 2002 after numerous brutality claims as well as questionable use of pepper spray and chemical agents, a Buffalo Police car is involved in an accident with another car and a house in Buffalo's Kaisertown neighborhood after a policeman's pepper spray discharges within the car. In all four people are sent to local hospitals, leaving the NYCLU to wonder if the Department of Justice went far enough in its training oversight of the Buffalo Police Department. The community is still waiting for a promised report from both the Feds and BPD --a report promised nearly two weeks ago.

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In our final segment this week, at Guantanamo Bay, the U.S. military is currently conducting the first American war crimes trial since World War II -- the military commission of Salim Hamdan, the driver for Osama bin Laden.

The American Civil Liberties Union's Ben Wizner is one of the few outside observers present for the proceedings, Wizner spoke with Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com Listen to his amazing observations | Here | .

Read more from Ben Wizner and get updated on the news from Guantanamo Bay | Here |

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THIS BRAVE NATION and Roger Nash Baldwin (Himself) on the 83rd Anniversay of the Historic Scopes Trial

2008-07-30T08:29:00.000-07:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties, Robert Greenwald’s Brave New Foundation and The Nation, America’s oldest weekly magazine, have launched a special new series, This Brave Nation. Focusing on the personal and the political struggles of progressive icons like Tom Hayden, Dolores Huerta, Carl Pope, Bonnie Raitt, and Pete Seeger talking to rising stars like Majora Carter, Van Jones, Naomi Klein, Ava Lowery, and the ACLU’s own Anthony Romero. They share ideas, lessons, and experiences so as to inform, enlighten, and inspire a new generation of Americans to commit to action rather than apathy. In our first segment we hear from ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero and activist Ava Lowery

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This week marks 83 years since a jury in tiny Dayton, Tennessee convicted and fined $100 a teacher by the name of John T. Scopes, a man who had the courage and determination of spirit to challenge a state law forbidding the teaching of Darwin’s theory of evolution.

The ACLU put out an offer in a Chattanooga newspaper to defend a teacher who was willing to challenge the state law prohibiting the teaching of "any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals."

In our second segment this week, we hear from none other than the Founder of the American Civil Liberties Union, Roger Nash Baldwin, who recorded his thoughts on the infamous "Scopes Trial" on the 30th Anniversay of the famed trial back in 1955.

Click Here to Listen to ACLU Founder, Roger Nash Baldwin as recalls the 1925 Scopes Trial (.mp3 format, 3.94 mb)

***** This Weeks Music: (Click to listen or watch the video)

Reproductive Rights, Human Rights and the Fourth Amendment Under Presidential Attack

2008-07-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties, the New York Civil Liberties Union expressed its outrage at draft regulations proposed by the Bush administration that could jeopardize access to basic health care services for millions of women in New York and across the country. The draft regulations, which apply to several laws governing the use of federal funds by states and health care facilities, limit access to birth control and deliberately confuse the definition of contraception and abortion. As currently drafted, the regulations could:

Allow federally funded health care professionals and institutions to refuse reproductive health services, including common forms of birth control.
Undermine existing New York laws that protect women’s access to birth control.
Compel women’s health clinics in New York to hire individuals unwilling to provide basic health services.

In our first segment, we heard remarks by the junior Senator from New York, Hillary Rodham Clinton, speaking at a Planned Parenthood press conference denouncing the draft regulations as a threat to the health of every woman in America.

In our followup segment to the NYCLU/ACLU lawsuit regarding the Congressional roll-over on the dragnet warrantless wiretapping law, our second segment this week includes remarks from the director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Washington Legislative Office, Caroline Frederickson who recently appeared at a panel discussion sponsored by the Center for American Progress.

Our last report this week included an update on a secret memo authored by the Department of Justice (DOJ) asserting that President Bush has unlimited power to order brutal interrogations to extract information from detainees has been declassified as a result of an American Civil Liberties Union Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.

******* This weeks Music: (Click the button above to follow the link)

Dropping the Rock-We Need You!

2008-07-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

(March 29, 2009) As you may well know, The bill to reform New York’s draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws is finally complete – finalized late Saturday night – and although the New York Civil Liberties Union has applauded this historic agreement--we're not there yet.

The Bill to provide the most major reform of the Draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws is slated to be voted on sometime on Tuesday-But -There will be hostile amendments and other things to beat back and we need to keep the pressure on. We need to give our state Senators the message that we support them and will continue to support them by voting for this historic reform. As is-without hostile amendments that will take away the reform that this true first step brings.

Sound like "heavy lifting"? Its Not. And we can show you how!

All we need is you-a few minutes of your time-and if you have more, come down to our offices at 712 Main street in Buffalo (712 Main Street in the Theatre District) and we can show you how you can be part of this historic effort.

If you don't have more than a few minutes-all you need to do is click here. Follow the instructions to send the Governor, and your elected officials the message-that you believe as we do-that the days of trying to spend our way through a failed, racist, cruel and ineffective drug policy are over.

We need to treat this as the public health concern that it is and restore our families and communities in important and meaningful ways. Please-Click here and continue to be the change that New Yorkers beleive in.

The Gutting of FISA: NYCLU and ACLU File Suit Over Unconstitutional Spying Law

2008-07-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

For years, the Bush administration illegally intercepted the emails and phone calls of millions of Americans. Rather than rein in this abuse of power, lawmakers on Capitol Hill caved in to the administration and gave the National Security Agency (NSA) even more expansive powers to spy on Americans than it had under the illegal warrantless wiretapping program President Bush secretly authorized in 2001. In our first segment this week on Radio Civil Liberties, we heard a conversation with the ACLU's Jameel Jaffer, The Nation's Chris Hedges and Human Rights Watch's Dinah PoKempner regarding the phony congressional compromise and the joint action to bring suit to restore the rule of law. (click above to watch the video version)

For the most up to date information from NYCLU | Click Here| and from ACLU | Click Here|

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Following up on our landmark legal victory that recognized lesbian and gay couples’ valid out-of-state marriages, the New York Civil Liberties Union today filed a lawsuit in the Erie County Supreme Court against an insurance company for denying spousal health care benefits to a validly married lesbian couple. In our second segment this week, we recap the case as well as an audio segment with NYCLU Staff Attorney Matt Faiella detailing the specifics of the Martinez decision and its impact on families across New York State.

For more from the NYCLU's Western Regional Office | Click Here|

Listen Here to NYCLU Staff Attorney Matt Faiella discuss the "Martinez " decision and its implications at the recent WNY forum (22mb .mp3)

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This weeks Music and PSA's:

(Click the button above to follow the link)

Unconstitutional FISA BiIl Passes the House

2008-06-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), born after the Watergate scandal, establishes how the government can secretly eavesdrop on Americans in their own country in intelligence investigations. It was originally passed to allow the government to collect foreign intelligence information involving communications with "agents of foreign powers."

This week the American Civil Liberties Union and its affiliates like the NYCLU expressed outrage at representatives who voted for the unconstitutional legislation. The bill, H.R. 6304, or The FISA Amendments Act of 2008, passed the chamber by a vote of 293-129, and is expected to be voted on in the Senate next week. In our first segment this week, Radio Civil Liberties correspondent, Mario Ezekiel brings us the update on the passage of the unconstitutional measure that has passed in the House of Representatives.Click here see how your representative voted

Click here for updates on the Bill's progress in the Senate

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This year’s ACLU Membership Conference was a rousing success. With more than 250 Captial Hill meetings and lobby visits scheduled , more than 1,000 ACLU members from every state and territory had an opportunity to meet with their respective congressional offices to lobby on some of the highest priority civil liberties and civil rights issues: FISA, E-verify, stopping torture and REAL-ID. Additionally, some very significant voices were head from at this years conference. In our second segment this week, we listen to their unique stories and struggles:

Adaora Udoji is co-host of The Takeaway with John Hockenberry, a new public radio program set to launch in the spring 2008. Previously, she was a host on Court TV, where she served as an anchor and trial correspondent. Udoji was a correspondent with ABC News and CNN, where she covered some of the most critical domestic and international stories of the past 15 years, including the last three presidential elections, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the O.J. Simpson criminal trial and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Janet Caldero, is a custodian for the New York City Board of Education. Caldero and several other custodians are part of an employee discrimination lawsuit. At stake is their seniority, their wages, benefits and ultimately, their jobs.

Evie Farnsworth, inspired by the suicide of her gay uncle to become engaged in LGBT issues in her Nashville, TN high school. She is a founding member of a student-led coalition to get the Metro Nashville School Board to expand the student non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation and gender identity, expression, and appearance.

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This Weeks Music

PSA's from Marriage Equality First, the ACLU and the ACLU of Montana

PRIDE 2008 and The Reproductive Health Act

2008-06-16T07:08:00.000-07:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties, as Buffalo and WNY celebrate 2008 Pride week, Radio Civil Liberties takes a look at the origins and background of the annual celebration and its beginnings in the Stonewall Riots of June 1969. Our first report comes to us from WBAI and Rustbelt Radio and highlights a short interview with David Carter, author of "Stonewall: the Riots that Sparked the Gay Revolution" Interview with author David Carter (.mp3 at 24mb) Not enough people know the truth about The Reproductive Health Act, a New York State bill that would, strengthen New York’s laws and safeguard a woman’s ability to make one of life’s most important and life-changing decisions – whether or when to have children. The NYCLU's Reproductive Rights Project has done a tremendous amount of work to educate New Yorkers --as opponents of this bill have been spreading blatant misinformation about what it does. In our second segment this week, we hear from NYCLU Reproductive Rights Project Director, Galen Sherwin, and Chloe Dugger of the NYCLU; Katherine Grainger of NARAL, ProChoice New York; JoAnn Smith of Family Planning Advocates of New York State; and Gillian Dean of Planned Parenthood of New York City. Listen as these remarkable voices discuss the reality of this bill, and about creating and supporting healthy families and a health care policy that respects our ability as individuals to decide the course of our own lives.

Find out more about the Reproductive Health here and here ***************************************************************** This weeks music from: Garth Brooks AntiFlag and Elvis Costello PSA's from Marriage Equality First, the ACLU and the ACLU of Montana *************************

NYCLU Victory is "One Step Forward" for Marriage Equality and DASA

2008-05-31T06:52:00.000-07:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties, In response to an NYCLU victory in the case Martinez v. County of Monroe, New York State Governor David Paterson's has directed all state agencies to follow the law and begin to revise their policies and regulations to recognize marriages of same-sex couples performed in other jurisdictions, including Massachusetts, California and Canada.

In our first segment we hear from New York State Governor Paterson as well as NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman

Martinez v. County of Monroe was brought by the NYCLU with cooperating attorney Jeffrey Wicks on behalf of Patricia Martinez. Martinez, an employee of Monroe Community College in Rochester, sought health care benefits for her wife whom she married in Canada in 2004. The case was filed in 2005 in State Supreme Court.

In February of this year, an appellate court unanimously affirmed the couple's marriage the first appellate court decision in the state and the first known decision in the country to hold that a valid same-sex marriage must be recognized. Monroe County then requested that the state's highest court review and overrule the Fourth Department's decision.

There is much more | Here | The Frequently Asked Questions are Here |

Click |Here| if you would like to tell us why you're thinking of getting married

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It is essential that we let the Governor know that we support his actions and the rule of law! Governor Paterson's Office is conducting a phone poll, Take a second to call 1-518-474-8390 And say: "I support the Governor's directive on marriage," then give them your 5 digit zip code. Let him know that you support fairness and equality for all New Yorkers! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In our second segment this week, we hear from "Tony" a student that joined the NYCLU, the Empire State Pride Agenda along with hundreds of students in Albany this spring for Equality and Justice Day.Tony speaks to us about the need for Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). This New York State bill would prohibit harassment and discrimination against all students in public schools. DASA protects against harassment based on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex.

DASA mandates that teachers and staff receive the training they need to properly address issues of harassment and discrimination, and requires the monitoring and reporting of such incidents. This bill will make schools safer for all students.

Following up Tony's interview, we listen as Renee, a student in Queens, NY talks about how the Dignity In All Schools Act can help students feel safe in school, both physically and in their freedom to speak about the things that matter to them.

Genetic Privacy: GINA and The Reality of the Rockefeller Drug Laws

2008-05-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties, Congress and the president enacted the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). GINA is a groundbreaking step toward securing civil liberties in the emerging field of medical technology as well as a landmark victory for those fighting to ensure civil rights in American workplaces.

By providing national guidelines for health insurers, employers and states about how to use information about potential illnesses or medical conditions acquired by genetic tests, the new law safeguards workers from discrimination. Our first report comes to us from NPR, and brings us an interview with Rebecca Fisher, a breast cancer survivor concerned about her daughter's ability to be screened and treated for the disease and still protect her personal medical information. This segment was followed by an interview with Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY), the bill's main sponsor. Rep. Slaughter talks about genetic discrimination and the Bill— she first proposed the legislation some 13 years ago. More from the ACLU is Here.

In our final segment this week, we revisit the inequities of the Rockefeller-era Drug Laws. Enacted in 1973, the Rockefeller Drug Laws mandate extremely harsh prison terms for the possession or sale of relatively small amounts of drugs. Supposedly intended to target drug kingpins, most of the people incarcerated under these laws are convicted of low-level, nonviolent offenses, and many of them have no prior criminal record.

We hears the heartbreaking and inspring story of Elaine Bartlett, author of "Life on the Outside". Bartlett was sentenced under the Rockefeller Drug Laws for carrying one four ounce package, equivalent to the weight of a bottle of nail polish, of cocaine from New York City to Albany, New York. She spent sixteen years in prison before she was granted clemency by New York Governor George Pataki. The Rockefeller Drug Laws have neither curbed drug use nor enhanced public safety. Instead, they have ruined thousands of lives and annually wasted millions in tax dollars in prison costs, Our lawmakers must act now to end these inhumane and unjust laws and restore judicial discretion to drug sentencing.

There is more HERE and HERE

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This week's Music from

Immortal Technique, Bad Religion, Elvis Costello, Devo and David Bowie

PSA's from Marriage Equality First, the ACLU and the ACLU of Montana

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Celebrating Marriage Equality: "So Goes California, So Goes the Nation"

2008-05-16T20:28:00.000-07:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties: The historic California Supreme Court victory overturning the state’s ban on marriages of lesbian and gay couples was applauded this week by New York Civil Liberties Union. In a 4-3 decision, drafted by Chief Justice Ronald George, the court ruled: "In light of the fundamental nature of the substantive rights embodied in the right to marry - and their central importance to an individual's opportunity to live a happy, meaningful, and satisfying life as a full member of society - the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all individuals and couples, without regard to their sexual orientation." Our first segment comes from NPR Radio Affiliate KPCC (89.3 FM in southern California) where we hear brief remarks from Clare Pastore, Of Counsel for the ACLU of Southern California, and David Cruz, USC Professor of Law (Complete interview is here). Followed by a brief report from Democracy Now's Amy Goodman and followed-up with remarks-in their entirety from San Fransisco Mayor Gavin Newsome who praised many organizations, including the ACLU in his remarks following the historic decision.

--------------------------------------------------------- This week's PSA's from the Marriage Equality Coalition and the ACLU of Montana. -------------------------------------------------- This week's music from: GreenDay (American idiot) Bob Dylan (Blowin in the wind) Bob Marley and the Wailers (Get Up Stand Up) Tito Larriva & The MDH Band (Nuevo Himno and Anarchio en La USA)

Interview: Reproductive Health Care for Women Incarcerated in New York

2008-05-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

Sparked by cases where women were denied access to reproductive health care while incarcerated, the NYCLU launched an investigation of policies for provision of health care specific to female inmates in county jails. Joining us this week to discuss the NYCLU's investigation of access to reproductive healthcare for incarcerated women in New York State's Jails is the NYCLU Reproductive Rights Project Attorney Corinne Carey. Carey discusses the NYCLU efforts that sent Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests to 58 counties seeking information about access to a variety of reproductive health care services, including abortion, prenatal care, routine gynecological exams, contraception, testing and treatment for HIV or sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Read More Here | Download the (.PDF) Report Here

Click Here to Listen to NYCLU's Reproductive Rights Project Attorney Corinne Carey discuss the quality of Reproductive Healthcare for incarcerated Women in New York State's Jails. (22mb .mp3)

UPDATE: The John Adams Project

"It's Not About Revenge, This Is About Justice"

In this week's John Adam's Project update, we hear from Lorie van Auken, one of the September 11 Advocates. Van Auken tells us why it's important that true justice is served to the detainees at Guantánamo.

Van Auken is supporting the ACLU's John Adams Project, the ACLU's effort to an Auken is supporting the ACLU's John Adams Project, the ACLU's effort to assist in the legal representation of Guantánamo detainees.

You can learn more about the project, and read the September 11 Advocates' statement in support of it, at www.aclu.org/johnadams

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This week's Music from:
Neil Sedaka ,

Robert Cray Band
Merry Clayton
and
Immortal Technique w/Mos Def and Eminem*
(*Radio Edit)

PSA's and "Your Rights" from ACLU and the ACLU of Montana

Secretive Justice at Guantanamo: Update

2008-04-26T05:24:00.000-07:00

In our first segment this week, we hear from Jamil Dakwar, Director of the ACLU's Human Rights Program. Dakwar was in Guantánamo Bay from April 9 through 11, for the military commissions hearings of three detainees held there. He talks about the highlights of the week's hearings, the newly built "Camp Justice" facility and the outlook for these proceedings Click here for MP3 | Podcast.

Following Dakwar's report, we get a John Adams Project Update as we hear from Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and Judge Advocate General John Hutson talking about the military commission system and why it's important that the Guantánamo proceedings are as fair as possible

This Tuesday, April 29th is Equality and Justice Day in Albany, we get updated on the NYCLU's efforts to get meaningful legislation passed in New York State that would help win marriage fairness, transgender non-discrimination protections, safe schools for LGBT youth, and more funding for our community’s health and human services needs. Find More information on these efforts with the NYCLU and its allies here and here.

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This week's Music Links and Video will be posted on Monday April 28th PSA's from ACLU of Montana and Adbusters.org ---------------------------------------

Married or Not?

2008-04-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties, the Western Regional Office of the New York Civil Liberties Union and the Empire State Pride Agenda were pleased to host NYCLU Staff Attorney Matt Faiella at a community forum recently in Buffalo. Faiella was in Buffalo as part of a Western New York stop to discuss the impact of the "Martinez Decision" in which the New York State Court of Appeals mandated that New York State recognize same-sex marriages performed outside of New York State. The WNY event esd held at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Buffalo and included remarks by WRO Director, John A. Curr III, Empire State Pride Agenda WNY Organizer, Todd Plank and local Marriage Ambassador Kitty Lambert.

Listen Here to NYCLU Staff Attorney Matt Faiella discuss the "Martinez " decision and its implications at the recent WNY forum (22mb .mp3)

In our second segment this week, we heard from Retired U.S. army Colonel and ACLU Board Member Mike Pheneger, on the partnership of the ACLU and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) , in assembling defense teams to be available to assist in the legal representation of some of the Guantanamo detainees the Bush administration seeks to prosecute in the military commissions system. Retired Army Colonel Mike Pheneger talks about why this effort is important to this country's justice system.

To learn more go to http://www.aclu.org/johnadams.
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This week's music from:
Immortal Technique
The NightWatchMan
and
David Bowie

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PSA's From ACLU National Office and the ACLU of Montana

The John Adams Project

2008-04-07T12:02:00.001-07:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties, The ACLU and NACDL are assembling defense teams to be available to assist in the representation of detainees facing prosecution at Guantánamo.

The John Adams Project: Standing Up for Justice In The Military Commissions Proceedings.

The ACLU and the NACDL are taking this step because of the grave concerns that the Guantanamo military commissions process does not reflect our nations commitment to justice and due process. The military commissions’ authorization of the use of coerced evidence possibly derived from torture, secret evidence, and hearsay is unconstitutional and counter to American traditions of fairness and justice.

ACLU Legal Director, Steve Shapiro on rulings regarding the unlawful detention policies at Guantanamo . -------------------------------

Radio Civil Liberties revisits the failing state of Juvenile Justice System in New York, as we learned that NY State's new budget makes provisions to keep open facilities in this failing system despite the fact that overwhelming evidence --and even the state itself--admit that there are more cost effective means to properly intervene and assist these at-risk youth. There is more here and here and here

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Music this week inluded:

Traffic

Blow Up Hollywood,

and

John Lennon

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PSA's From ACLU National Office and the ACLU of Montana

New York State's Unconstitutional Public Defense System

2008-03-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

“At this moment there are New Yorkers who are being denied justice simply because they are poor,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the NYCLU. On the heels of this week's unprecedented request for an Emergency Court Order for Relief, Radio Civil Liberties takes a look at the Unconstitutional way that New York State protects its most vulnerable citizens- the indigent accused of crimes. Click the image at left to play the video from NYCLUclips on youtube and learn more about this case that is so fundamentally important to New Yorkers and indirectly, to all Americans.

In other News, the ACLU Voters Rights Project and the League of Women Voters continue their fight with the Attorney General of New Jersey over the ability to pass out voting rights cards within 100 feet of polling places. The previous story summary is here and the update is available here

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This week's Music:

Patti Smith "People Have The Power" and "Radio Baghdad"

PSA's From the ACLU of Montana and Adbusters.org

Juvenile Justice Reform: This Week on Radio Civil Liberties

2008-03-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

Joining us this week, the Juvenile Justice Director of the New York Corrections Association, Mishi Faruqee. Mishi joins us as we discuss closing the antiquated Juvenile Justice Facilities throughout New York State.

Faruqee told RCL that closing these facilities not only would improve public safety and save money, but it also would address disturbing racial disparities inherent in the current juvenile detention system. Black and Latino youth comprise 86 percent of inmates of juvenile detention facilities statewide, a figure much higher than their representation in the population. About 60 percent of youth in state custody come from New York City, which is also disproportionate to the state population. These young people are locked away far from their families, who should be intimately involved in their rehabilitation process. And finally that inefficient and underutilized facilities should be closed and resources redirected to support the community-based alternative to incarceration programs that have been so effective in rehabilitating youthful offenders.

Click here to listen to the interview with Mishi Faruqee

Click Here for More on the Juvinile Justice Project

(Thanks to WNYC for the great photo of Mishi!)

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Music this week inluded:

Devo,

Dave Roberts,

and

Public Enemy and Moby

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PSA's From ACLU National Office and the ACLU of Montana

About Radio Civil Liberties

2008-03-26T12:25:00.001-07:00

Radio Civil Liberties, the New York Civil Liberties Union’s weekly radio show, can be heard live every Saturday at 11 a.m. on "Fiesta Latina" WBBF AM 1120 in Buffalo, Western New York and Southern Ontario. Full shows and individual interviews are also available anytime by visiting www.nycluradio.org. Featuring the audio engineering of Mario Ezekiel Hernandez, Radio Civil Liberties has been on the air since 2004. Over the years, the weekly show has featured guests as varied as Patti Smith, Chuck D., Cindy Sheehan, Daniel Ellsberg and Howard Zinn. A mix of reporting about New York and national issues, the show explores topics such as voting rights, free speech, the separation between church and state, military recruiting efforts in public schools and whatever else is generating headlines. “We want to empower our listeners so that they can be the force of change that will enable our state and nation to live up to its promise of liberty and justice for all,” said John A. Curr III, the show’s host and producer as well as the director of the NYCLU’s Western Regional Office.

2008-03-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

NYCLUradio Feature: Click Here to Listen to Governor Paterson's Inauguration Remarks

(.mp3 format, 21.6 MB)

NYCLUradio: March 15, Over the Air Broadcast: This week, the NYCLU brought another local forum in Buffalo detailing the ways that the REAL ID program violates the privacy rights of New Yorkers, at the same time we continue our push to educate all Americans through legislative advocacy and litigation, the ACLU and its affiliates actively oppose efforts in Congress to further broaden the government's power to spy on innocent Americans who are not conspiring with foreign powers, and support proposals to increase judicial and congressional oversight of FISA surveillance and restore much-needed checks and balances. Our first segment this week brought us news from Congress as House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer discussed standing up to the President and the U.S. Senate after their passage of the misnamed Protect America Act which would have expanded unwarranted spying against ordinary citizens and given immunity to the complicit telecommunications industry which allowed this administration to spy on all Americans.

In our final segment this week, we featured the work of the NYCLU's Youth Camera Action Project produced three short documentaries on student experiences with the over-policing of schools and the School to Prison Pipeline. The NYCLU supported the students in creating their own videos using their own words and footage. The documentaries feature over a dozen youth discussing the School to Prison Pipeline as well as school safety agents, police officers, metal detectors, the over-reliance on suspensions, over-emphasis on discipline, and criminalization of students.

Watch and Listen as they deliver a powerful message -for students by students, on the School to Prison Pipeline

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This week's music fromAntiFlag, Stevie Wonder and John Lennon

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As Usual PSA's from ACLU and AdBusters

2008-03-10T06:54:00.000-07:00

This week's show opened with our short feature on the upcoming NYCLU and SCOPE Forum on REAL ID
to be held on Tuesday, March 11 at St. John's Grace Episcopal Church Featuring speakers from the NYCLU, SCOPE and advocates from the GBLT Community. Find out if the damage to your privacy and civil liberties is worth the high unfunded cost to each and evey one of us.
For more information, call the New York Civil Liberties Union, Western Regional Office at 716-852-4033 or via email at aclubuffalo@gmail.com

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(click the image for the video report >>>>)

Our feature interview and report this week, comes to us from the ACLU of Illinois. Ed Yohnka is the Director of Communications for the ACLU of Illinois and gives us two reports this week on the rapidly approaching deadlines to stop the expansion of illegal wiretapping as sought by the Bush Administration. As we discussed on-air,
Here is how you can help:

Please make a toll-free call to 1-800-226-9021

and ask the operator for your representative. When you call, say something like this:

"I am a constituent calling about FISA. Please stand strong in the face of White House scare tactics and reject any spying bill with telecom immunity or warrantless spying."

The House could vote at any time. And there’s no guarantee that they will hold firm on their refusal to pass FISA legislation that defies the Constitution and overlooks telecom companies’ massive invasions of our privacy.

If we hold the line in the House, it will be for one reason: Because you and other ACLU activists across the country generated thousands and thousands of phone calls.

This is an urgent, time-sensitive request. Please call now.

Every week that we prevent the House from passing legislation granting telecom immunity and excusing warrantless eavesdropping is a victory for the Constitution.

Please act now. Keep this dangerous legislation out of President Bush's hands.

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This week's music comes to us from Steve Roberts,
Moby featuring Public Enemy, and Neil Young
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This week's PSA's : FISA and "Your Rights" from the ACLU of Montana

2008-03-03T07:04:00.000-08:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties: As New Yorkers become more aware of the danger to their civl liberties. a new coalition called the "New York Alliance Against the REAL-ID" is gathering partners and supporters from across the State. With recent forums being held across the state, the NYCLU and its partners are leading the way for New York to join some 30 other states including inpassing legislation opposing Real ID implementation. This morning we listen as officials from some of those states tell us why they've opposed REAL ID implementation. (click image for video) From the State of Maine, Maine State Senate Majority Leader, Libby Mitchell ( D-Kennebec County) explains why she opposed REAL ID implementation. Maine went on to pass a Joint Resolution she sponsored urging Congress and the President to repeal the Real ID Act of 2005.

From the State of South Carolina, South Carolina DMV Commissioner, Marcie Adams tells the a State House Committee of the South Carolina Legislature of the burdens of implementation of REAL-ID that state . South Carolina went on to pass Senate Resolution S-449 which prohibits the state from implementing the act

We hear next from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's State Senate, where Sam Rohrer (R-128th District) talks about Pennsylvania's efforts that led to the passage of their Bill prohibiting implementation of REAL ID.

In our final broadcast segment this week: We hear of the efforts from New Hampshire, where implementation of REAL ID was prohibited by unanimous votes against it in both the State House and Senate.

_________________________________________________________ Check out all of this weeks music video's in the music column >>>>>>>>> ______________________________________________________

2008-02-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties: As we build up momentum for a regional fourm on Real-ID we continue to, educate and reach out to our listeners about this controversial legislation that attempts to federalize state driver's licenses by imposing a broad array of regulations on how they are issued and verified—turning them into what are, for all practical purposes, America's first-ever national identity cards. In our first segment we heard recent comments from NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman who called REAL-ID "one of the largest threats to Democracy". The NYCLU's Advocacy Director, Udi Ofer , discussed the Real ID and how it will hold an unprecedented and easy to access personal information giving our government incredible oversight over our personal lives. Also in this segment Jim Harper of the CATO Institute talks about how the REAL-ID will standardize identification cards across the country thereby making it easier for citizens to be tracked. Finally, we hear from Gouri Sadhwani, Special Assistant to the President, SEIU Local 32BJ, talks about how REAL-ID will impact low-wage workers and undocumented workers.

Click Here For More information on REAL-ID

In Our second segment this week, we focus on the very real and every day dangers to to our Reproductive Rights and the efforts of the New York Civil Liberties Union to promote passage of the Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act (RHAPP).

This week, on Tuesday February 19th, the NYCLU's Western Regional Office will be co-sponsoring advocacy training and education featuring the NYCLU's Reproductive Rights Project Director Galen Sherwin. The training will be held in partnership with the University of Buffalo's SBI Legal Services at 7pm in Baldy 101 (Kiva Theater).

For More information on how you can participate call 716.852.4033

or via email here

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This weeks PSA's and Music:

From the Free Speech Movement of the late 1960's, the inspirational and rousing words of Mario Savio: "There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part; you can't even passively take part, and you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop. And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all!"

"Your Rights" PSA's from the ACLU of Montana. ->This week's music is in the right column->

Air Date February 9, 2008

2008-02-11T10:09:00.000-08:00

RCL's first segment addresses the stunning victory by the NYCLU in New York State Appellate Court for marriage equality. The Court declared that the Statemust recognize marriages of same-sex couples that were performed outside ofthe State of New York. recognized. The case, Martinez v. County of Monroe, was filed in 2005 in State Supreme Court on behalf of Patricia Martinez , an employee of Monroe Community College in Rochester, seeking health care benefits for her female partner whom she married in Canada in 2004. This weeks first feature segment is from the upcoming ACLU Freedom Files, "Freedom to Marry" and details the experiences of three Maryland couples that are struggling in their pursuit of marriage equality.

Our Second segment this week brings us up to date on our work against the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, As Congress has extended the deadline for renewing the "Protect America Act" until February 15. We are asking legislators to stand up to President Bush's fear-mongering and use this time to make real changes to the bill: reject telecom immunity and "bucket warrants" and bring government surveillance in line with the Constitution. Click the Picture at right to watch the shocking video "Abuse of Power" from the ACLU.

PSA's this week on FISA (link below) and the ACLU of Montana's "These are Your Rights". This weeks music from Neil Young's "Living With War" Album and David Bowie's "This is not America".

Air Date: February 2, 2008

2008-02-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

This week on Radio Civil Liberties we have the audio report from this special video posted by the New York Civil Liberties Union's Youth Camera Action! Project detailing the work of the NYCLU confronting the realities of the School to Prison Pipeline. The School to Prison Pipeline is a nationwide system of local, state and federal education and public safety policies that pushes students out of school and into the criminal justice system. This system disproportionately targets youth of color and youth with disabilities. Inequities in areas such as school discipline, policing practices, high-stakes testing and the prison industry contribute to the pipeline. The Second part of this weeks program also brought more information to our listeners an inside look at our work on the Foreign Intelligence in bringing you part of our teleconference update on the work that is taking place to stop this unprecedented intrusion on the privacy rights of all Americans. Here is the audio link and click here to find out how you can do more to stop this. Our groundbreaking and informative PSA's are available here from the ACLU of Montana and here for the ACLU's FISA Radio spot. This week's music is at the top of the music channel on the right of this page.

Radio Civil Liberties

2008-01-23T12:16:00.000-08:00

(January 11, 2008: Buffalo, NY) RCL's Satruday morning broadcast includes an extensive interview with Chris Calabrese, Project Counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union’s Technology and Liberty Program. Calabrese explains the provisions of the Real-ID program currently being expanded and thrust upon the States. Interstingly, local media has done extensive coverage over the last few days on the onerous provisons of REAL-ID, including an interview with the NYCLU's Advocacy Director, Udi Ofer.

Calabrese's extended speech and questions areis here, with thanks to the ACLU of Ohio for the podcast.