Category Archives: Civil Liberties

WOMEN DESERVE MORE SOCIAL SECURITY, NOT LESS

Posted on February 12, 2005 by Trish Nelson

  WOMEN DESERVE MORE SOCIAL SECURITY, NOT LESS MinutemanMedia by Martha Burk As we all know from the State of the Union speech, [Bush] is pushing hard – on his own party as well as the Democrats – to privatize … Continue reading →

Posted in Bush Tax, Civil Liberties, Jobs, Main Page, National News | Comments Off on WOMEN DESERVE MORE SOCIAL SECURITY, NOT LESS

Cold-hearted, Divisive Iowa State Senators Introduce Gay Marriage Ban

Posted on January 29, 2005 by bfialindathieman

Cold-hearted, Divisive Iowa State Senators Introduce Gay Marriage Ban by Christina Butts The new legislative session has barely started and the remnant religious far-right in the Iowa State Senate wants to begin divisive political tactics instead of working for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties, GLBT, Iowa in the News, Main Page | Comments Off on Cold-hearted, Divisive Iowa State Senators Introduce Gay Marriage Ban

INTELLIGENCE: Rumsfeld’s Dirty Little Secret

Posted on January 25, 2005 by bfialindathieman

Intelligence: Rumsfeld's Dirty Little Secret American Progress The Pentagon Hides Spy Unit from Congress The Pentagon has secretly been operating a clandestine espionage branch for the past two years after reinterpreting U.S. law to place more power directly in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties, Main Page, National News | Comments Off on INTELLIGENCE: Rumsfeld’s Dirty Little Secret

ACT Commemorates Dr. King by Shining Spotlight on Vote Fraud Aimed at African Americans

Posted on January 18, 2005 by bfialindathieman

ACT Commemorates Dr. King by Shining Spotlight on Vote Fraud Aimed at African Americans America Coming Together Some things haven't changed.  It's time to ACT.  Click here. There are so many powerful images from our country's long struggle for racial … Continue reading →

Posted in Calls to Action, Civil Liberties, How You Can Help, Main Page, National News, Vote Fraud | Comments Off on ACT Commemorates Dr. King by Shining Spotlight on Vote Fraud Aimed at African Americans

Can the FBI Monitor Your Web Browsing Without a Warrant?

Posted on January 15, 2005 by bfialindathieman

Can the FBI Monitor Your Web Browsing Without a Warrant? EFFector  Vol. 18, No. 2  January 14, 2005 EFF Demands Answers from DOJ about PATRIOT Act Surveillance Washington, DC – [Friday] the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed a Freedom of … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties, Main Page, National News | Comments Off on Can the FBI Monitor Your Web Browsing Without a Warrant?

Iowa Supreme Court to Hear Oral Argument Friday in Lesbian Civil Union Dissolution Case

Posted on January 12, 2005 by bfialindathieman

Iowa Supreme Court to Hear Oral Argument Friday in Lesbian Civil Union Dissolution Case Lambda Legal What: Oral arguments in Alons et al v. Iowa District Court for Woodbury County. When: Friday, January 14, at 9 a.m.   Where: Iowa … Continue reading →

Posted in Calls to Action, Civil Liberties, GLBT, Iowa in the News, Main Page | Comments Off on Iowa Supreme Court to Hear Oral Argument Friday in Lesbian Civil Union Dissolution Case

Iowa School Board Overturns Committee Recommendation, Bans Book; Anti-bullying Workshop in Ames in January (GLBT)

Posted on December 23, 2004 by Trish Nelson

Iowa School Board Overturns Committee Recommendation, Bans Book (GLBT) The North Scott Press by Bill Tubbs   The United Methodist Church defrocked the Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud on a 7-6 vote for being honest about her sexual orientation….The church's decision appears … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties, Education, GLBT, Iowa in the News, Local Events, Main Page | Comments Off on Iowa School Board Overturns Committee Recommendation, Bans Book; Anti-bullying Workshop in Ames in January (GLBT)

ICLU Files Freedom of Information Act Against FBI

Posted on December 3, 2004 by bfialindathieman

ICLU Files Freedom of Information Act Against FBI

Iowa Civil Liberties Union

ACLU Launches Nationwide Effort to Expose Illegal FBI Spying on Political and Religious Groups

In Iowa, ICLU seeks disclosure of surveillance records of both federal and state law enforcement

DES MOINES – Citing evidence that the FBI and local police are illegally spying on political, environmental and faith-based groups, the American Civil Liberties Union and its affiliates today filed multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests around the country to uncover who is being investigated and why.

“The FBI is wasting its time and our tax dollars spying on groups that criticize the government, like the Quakers in Colorado or Catholic Peace Ministries in Iowa,” said ACLU Associate Legal Director Ann Beeson. “Do Americans really want to return to the days when peaceful critics become the subject of government investigations?”

Ben Stone, executive director of the Iowa Civil Liberties Union, which is among the state affiliates participating in the effort, said that the ICLU is involved because of what the U.S. Attorney's office did to Des Moines peace activists in February of this year.

“Ten months ago, citizens subpoenaed by the government courageously stood in the public square in an effort to convey to the world that they would not be intimidated,” Stone said.  “In the face of their resistance, the U.S. Attorney backed down. The ICLU's filing today of FOIA, privacy act, and open records requests on behalf of our clients represents the next step in our struggle to defend the right of free speech against government intimidation,” he added.

The requests were filed by the national ACLU as well as its affiliates in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and Oregon.  The national ACLU FOIA names the central FBI agency as well as bureaus in New York, Washington, D.C., California, Michigan, Virginia, and Massachusetts. Additional ACLU affiliates are expected to file another round of FOIA requests in early 2005.  
Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties, Iowa in the News, Main Page, National News | Comments Off on ICLU Files Freedom of Information Act Against FBI

Attempt to Stop Mandatory Mental Screening Fails

Posted on November 26, 2004 by bfialindathieman

Attempt to Stop Mandatory Mental Screening Fails WorldNetDaily.com An attempt by Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, to add language to the omnibus spending bill in Congress to require parental consent for any mental-health screening done to children with federal money has … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil Liberties, GOP, Health Care & Medicare, Main Page, National News | Comments Off on Attempt to Stop Mandatory Mental Screening Fails

Kerry Can Win Ohio: A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

Posted on November 4, 2004 by bfialindathieman

Kerry Can Win Ohio: A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT International Labor Communications Association The media has collapsed and Kerry has conceded, but we don't have to. According to CNN, Bush is ahead in the count in Ohio by 136,221. According to … Continue reading →

Posted in Calls to Action, Civil Liberties, How You Can Help, Labor, Main Page, Media Bias, National News | Comments Off on Kerry Can Win Ohio: A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT